WISDOM 


ESAU 


C.H.CHOMLEY 

AND 

R.M.OUTHWAITE 


iOIIV.  OF 


y-  u 

CALIF.   LIBEAHY.  WS  UOU* 


\-t/i/* 


a 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 


THE 

WISDOM    OF    ESAU 


BY 

R.  L.  OUTHWAITE 

AND 

C.  H.  CHOMLEY 


CASSELL  &  COMPANY,  LIMITED 
NEW  YORK 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall 

Copyright,  1901,  by 
CASSELL  &  COMPANY,  Limited 


All  rights  reserved. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

BOOK      I.— ANTICIPATION        ....  I 

BOOK     II.— PROBATION  .  .  .  91 

BOOK  III.— REALISATION  .          207 


2135382 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

BOOK    I 

CHAPTER  I 

ON  an  evening  of  early  summer  in  the  year  1863 
two  bronzed  and  bearded  men  sat  by  a  camp  fire 
on  a  three-chain  road  in  the  north-eastern  district 
of  Victoria.  Their  clothes  were  rough,  and  the  shine 
upon  leggings  and  riding-breeches  bore  witness  to 
many  days  in  the  saddle,  for  it  was  a  fortnight  before 
that  John  Toland  and  his  younger  mate,  George 
Scott,  had  met  and  fraternised  on  the  road  which 
both  were  travelling  to  Thomas  Harlin's  Kumbarra 
run,  just  thrown  open  for  selection  under  the  Gavan 
Duffy  Land  Act.  Their  horses  grazed  among  a  mob 
of  others  near  by,  whence  came  the  sound  of  jingling 
hobble-chains.  Fires  flickered  at  intervals  down  the 
wide  sweep  of  the  road,  and  the  murmur  of  many 
voices  was  heard  when  the  breeze  rustled  towards 
them  through  the  forest. 

'I'm  afraid  we'll  have  little  chance  at  the  ballot 
to-morrow,'  said  Toland,  a  man  of  fine  physique, 
with  quick  eyes  and  resolute  face,  as  he  glanced 
towards  a  dimly -lighted  building  among  the  trees. 
'  The  dummies  are  rolling  up  by  the  dozen. ' 

'  Yes;  Harlin's  got  that  wizen-faced  slip  of  a  law- 
A 


2  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

yer  that  come  up  from  Melbourne  along  with  him  at 
the  shanty.  They  say  the  blackguards  Mallock  has 
picked  up  are  signing  agreements  to  transfer  any  lot 
they  get  to  Harlin,  and  he's  to  pay  them  ten  pound 
a  head  when  they  do  it. ' 

'  It's  a  damned  swindle,  and  a  disgrace  that  makes 
my  blood  boil,  for  my  own  sake  and  every  honest 
man's! ' 

Toland's  voice  was  strenuous  with  anger.  His 
words  needed  no  expressed  assent,  and  the  men 
smoked  for  a  time  in  sympathetic  silence. 

'  It  will  be  just  the  Warrooma  estate  business  over 
again,'  said  Toland,  presently.  'I  rode  down  there, 
a  couple  of  hundred  miles,  and  spent  a  week  on  the 
land  to  see  what  lots  were  worth  having ;  but  I  might 
have  saved  myself  the  trouble.  The  place  just  stank 
of  dummies,  and  they  got  all  the  best  of  the  run 
back  for  M'Gubbin.  One  chap  had  a  nice  block,  but 
M'Gubbin  threatened  to  cut  him  off  from  water  and 
see  the  storekeepers  sold  him  nothing,  so  he  funked 
and  slung  it  up  for  a  few  pounds.  I'd  have  cut  my 
throat — or  the  squatter's — rather  than  be  done  out 
of  my  rights  like  that. ' 

'  Well,  if  I  get  a  bit  of  that  open  country  on  the 
flats,  it  will  take  something  to  shift  me, '  said  Scott. 
'I  wouldn't  take  five  pound  an  acre  for  it.' 

'  Oh,  the  dummies  will  get  all  the  pick  of  that, 
and  if  there's  anything  left  for  us  it  will  be  away 
back  in  the  stringy  bark  country  that  Harlin  doesn't 
think  worth  paying  for.  Will  you  select  there  if 
you  have  the  chance? ' 

'  I  suppose  so.  A  man  can't  waste  all  his  little 
savings  going  from  ballot  to  ballot.  It's  not  bad 
land.' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  3 

'  No,'  said  Toland,  reflectively,  '  but  a  man's  heart 
will  have  to  be  in  the  right  place  to  clear  it. ' 

1  It  will  that, '  agreed  Scott,  '  but  I  mean  to  have  a 
bit  of  land  of  my  own  somewhere  and  be  as  free  as 
any  man. ' 

4  That's  what  brings  me  here, '  replied  Toland.  '  In 
a  way  I  wasn't  doing  so  bad  in  the  old  country, 
where  my  people  were  tenant  farmers,  but  I've  seen 
enough  of  slaving  for  the  landlord,  and,  by  Heaven, 
I'll  stick  to  any  land  I  get,  spite  of  squatters  and 
their  dummies,  if  I  have  to  live  on  possum  and  kan- 
garoo, and  work  till  I  drop — for  this  is  going  to  be  a 
great  country  some  day. ' 

'  It  is  so, '  assented  Scott,  '  and  I  reckon  that  any 
man  that  will  work  will  be  able  to  earn  a  living. ' 

The  two  men  lapsed  into  silence  again,  and  Scott 
went  in  search  of  more  wood,  while  Toland,  deep 
in  reverie,  gazed  into  the  glowing  embers,  pursuing 
further  the  thoughts  he  had  just  uttered.  Presently 
his  look  grew  sterner,  and  he  muttered  to  himself  as 
he  rose  from  the  ground,  '  Yes,  thank  God!  There's 
no  poorhouse  in  this  land. ' 

Then  Scott  returned  with  some  sticks,  and,  light- 
ing their  pipes,  he  and  Toland  strolled  away  to  see 
what  the  other  men  were  doing. 

Camp  fires  glowed  around  them  on  both  sides  of 
the  main  road  to  Melbourne,  which  followed  the  nar- 
rowing valley  no  further,  but  turned  at  a  sharp  angle 
to  the  left,  a  few  chains  from  Toland's  camp,  to  cross 
a  gap  in  the  hills  to  a  mining  town  beyond.  At  the 
corner  of  the  road  stood  Mallock's  shanty,  grandilo- 
quently called  the  '  Morning  Star '  Hotel.  As  a 
changing  station  for  Cobb  &  Co. 's  mail  coaches, 
and  the  only  house  on  the  road  for  miles,  it  was  a 


4  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

place  of  some  importance.  There  the  land  ballot 
was  to  be  held  on  the  morrow,  and  at  that  moment 
its  neighbourhood  was  the  scene  of  much  activity. 
Outside,  the  road  was  thronged  with  men,  divided 
instinctively  into  two  hostile  groups.  In  the  smaller 
were  comprised  miners,  artisans,  mechanics  and 
farmers — all  men  who  had  come  for  the  purpose  of 
trying  to  obtain  land  for  themselves  at  the  ballot. 
The  other  and  larger  group  consisted  of  men  gath- 
ered together  by  Mallock  from  the  nearest  townships 
to  dummy  for  Harlin,  whose  run,  held  now  as  lease- 
hold, was  to  be  thrown  open  for  selection  under  the 
Act  passed  only  a  few  months  previously,  with  the 
nominal  object  of  '  unlocking  the  lands '  and  making 
them  available  in  smaller  holdings  for  agriculture. 

Mallock 's  time  as  agent  for  Harlin  was  fully  occu- 
pied that  night.  In  a  room  off  the  bar,  Harlin, 
and  Wise,  the  lawyer,  were  taking  the  signatures  of 
the  dummies,  whom  Mallock  introduced  one  by  one, 
going  out  to  the  group  each  time  to  secure  his  man, 
and  leaving  his  bar  meanwhile  in  charge  of  a  frowsy 
Hebe  whom  he  had  engaged  for  the  occasion  at  a 
distant  township.  It  was  evident  that  he  took  a  pride 
in  his  work  and  regarded  each  dummy  whom  he  led 
into  the  sitting-room  as  a  trophy  of  his  prowess. 

Though,  like  Toland,  a  powerfully-built  man,  Mal- 
lock was  in  other  respects  of  a  strikingly  different 
stamp.  In  the  midst  of  a  black  bushy  beard  was 
set  a  thick-lipped,  gluttonous  mouth,  overhung  by  a 
large  hooked  nose.  His  eyes  were  keen  and  cruel, 
his  eyebrows  thick  and  black,  and  his  whole  appear- 
ance suggested  power  and  unscrupulousness. 

He  had  come  to  the  end  of  his  list ;  and  when  the 
last  of  the  dummies  left  the  room,  Harlin,  a  short, 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  5 

fair-bearded  man  with  a  phenomenally  red  face,  went 
to  the  door.  '  Come  in,  Mallock, '  he  said, '  and  bring 
a  bottle  of  brandy  and  glasses. ' 

'  Well,  you  have  done  very  fairly, '  he  continued 
when  the  shanty  keeper  had  returned  with  the 
liquor.  '  I  wanted  two  hundred  and  you  have  got 
me  a  hundred  and  eighty ;  but  I  think  that  will  be 
enough. ' 

'  Oh,  plenty, '  said  Mallock.  '  And  if  any  of  the 
other  rascals  should  get  a  block  you  want  you'll 
be  able  to  shift  him  all  right. ' 

'  I  think  so, '  replied  Harlin.  '  Of  course  I  shall 
take  up  the  river  frontages  first,  and  then  I  shall 
be  fairly  right.  The  back  country  is  a  God-forsaken 
wilderness  that  should  frighten  any  man  who  wants 
to  put  a  plough  in  it.  But  confound  the  rascally 
Government  for  not  letting  me  buy  the  land  at  the 
pound  an  acre  they  are  trying  to  get  rid  of  it  for  to 
all  the  penniless  blackguards  who  think  they  are 
going  to  have  a  landed  estate  and  be  gentlemen. ' 

Wise  laughed  at  Harlin's  vehemence.  '  But,  my 
dear  fellow,  the  Government  is  not  trying  to  sell 
the  land  to  the  people — only  pretending  to  do  so  in 
deference  to  popular  clamour.  You  ought  to  thank 
your  stars  that  your  run  is  thrown  open  for  selection 
while  you  can  dummy  it  into  your  hands  as  free- 
hold before  the  farce  is  howled  off  the  political  stage. 
Now,  as  I  am  a  little  exhausted  by  my  part  in  it,  I 
propose  that  we  swallow  our  poison  to  the  health  of 
Gavan  Duffy." 

'  Well, '  said  Harlin,  grudgingly,  as  he  poured  out 
the  spirit,  '  things  might  be  worse.  But,  after  all, 
it's  a  confounded  expense. ' 

'  Expense? '  queried  Wise,  with  sarcastically-raised 


6  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

eyebrows.  '  You  call  it  expense  to  pay  ten  pounds 
for  the  services  of  a  dummy  who  puts  into  your  hand 
a  block  worth  thousands  in  a  few  years'  time  if 
not  to-day.  Truly  this  is  an  ungrateful  and  a  stiff- 
necked  generation.' 

'  Perhaps  everything  is  for  the  best, '  laughed  Har- 
lin.  '  Anyhow,  business  is  done,  so  we  may  as  well 
get  back  to  the  station.  Tell  Bill  to  bring  our  horses 
round,  Mallock.  What  I  think  annoys  me  most, '  he 
continued,  glancing  after  Mallock  as  he  left  the  room, 
'  is  that  nearly  all  my  good  money  will  go  to  that 
scoundrel,  who  I  should  like  to  see  out  of  the  district. 
There'll  be  a  glorious  drunk  here  to-morrow  night 
after  the  dummies  get  their  cheques. ' 

'  I  suppose  he'll  keep  them  sufficiently  sober  till 
then.' 

'Yes;  he  doesn't  give  tick,  and  I  don't  suppose 
there's  the  price  of  a  drink  all  round  amongst  them. 
I  can't  say  I  like  this  business  much,  and  I  shall  be 
glad  when  it's  all  over.' 

Harlin  got  up,  yawning,  and  handed  his  cigar-case 
to  Wise,  and  by  the  time  the  lawyer  had  collected 
his  papers  Mallock  returned  to  say  the  horses  were 
ready. 

With  a  parting  injunction,  as  they  stepped  into  the 
fresh  air,  to  take  care  of  the  dummies  and  have  them 
on  hand  early  in  the  morning,  the  two  men  mounted 
and  rode  away. 

'  It  looks  quite  picturesque,  don't  it?'  said  Wise, 
glancing  lazily  down  the  road. 

The  camp  fires  were  burning  more  dimly  now,  for 
it  was  after  midnight,  but  every  one  of  them  showed 
up  a  surrounding  patch  of  spectral  forest.  Voices 
sounded  from  some  of  the  camps;  in  others  men 


THE   WISDOM   OF  ESAU  7 

slept  in  their  blankets  on  the  ground,  dreaming, 
perhaps,  of  good  fortune  at  the  ballot  which  should 
give  them  a  footing  on  the  soil.  And  Harlin,  as  he 
rode  along  the  line,  thought  of  the  dummies  with 
contempt,  and  the  selectors  with  bitterness,  as 
enemies  who  had  come  to  rob  him  of  his  own,  for  it 
was  war  to  the  knife  in  those  days  between  the 
squatter  and  the  '  cockie. '  Therefore  Harlin,  no 
better  and  no  worse  than  his  neighbours,  thought  all 
means  to  hold  their  land  justified  in  the  owners  of  the 
flocks  and  herds — the  pioneers  who  had  made  the 
country  what  it  was. 

He  had  no  sympathy  for  the  selectors'  aspirations, 
nor  scruples  about  defeating  them,  but  it  was  annoy- 
ing that  he  had  to  employ  such  a  dirty  tool  as 
Mallock.  In  spite  of  what  Wise  might  say,  the  whole 
thing  was  a  confounded  expense ;  and  he  nursed  a 
feeling  of  injury  at  the  hands  of  the  law. 

Mallock  stood  at  the  door  for  some  time  and 
watched  the  others  well  on  their  way  down  the  road 
before  going  back  into  the  bar  parlour  to  wrestle 
with  a  legal  problem  of  some  complexity.  Then 
seating  himself  at  the  rickety  table,  in  an  atmosphere 
reeking  with  spirits  and  fumes  of  a  tallow  dip — 
fashioned  of  twisted  worsted  in  a  pannikin  of  melted 
fat — he  spread  a  piece  of  paper  before  him  and  pro- 
ceeded to  painfully  decipher  its  contents. 

The  document  was  a  blank  form  of  transfer  of 
land,  which  the  lawyer  had  carelessly  dropped  be- 
neath the  table  when  gathering  up  his  papers  before 
leaving — one  of  many  for  to-morrow's  use,  to  be 
signed  by  the  successful  dummies  in  accordance 
with  the  agreements  they  had  made. 

Mallock  pondered  over  it  for  a  long  time.     At 


8  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

length,  saying  to  himself, '  It  may  be  of  use.  I  don't 
see  why  I  mightn't  play  their  own  game,'  he  folded 
it  carefully  and  put  it  in  his  pocket.  Then  he  took 
the  dip  and  went  into  the  bar. 

A  few  men  were  still  there  in  a  rather  maudlin 
condition,  and  these  he  turned  out,  whilst  a  drunken 
man,  snoring  in  the  corner,  he  hauled  into  the  road 
and  left  to  be  sobered  by  the  cool  night  air.  After 
dismissing  his  bar  help  he  locked  the  entrance  door, 
and,  evidently  well  pleased  with  himself  and  the 
world  in  general,  retired  to  his  rough,  uninviting 
couch,  which  consisted  of  a  wooden  stretcher  with 
a  wool  pack  for  mattress. 

Having  taken  off  his  boots,  by  way  of  undressing, 
he  drew  over  himself  a  dirty  blanket  and  soon  slept 
as  placidly  as  an  innocent  child. 


CHAPTER    II 

THE  laughing  jackasses  were  merry  over  the  first  joke 
of  the  day,  and  the  magpies  still  warbling  their  matin 
song,  when  the  camp  began  to  stir.  From  all  sides 
came  voices  and  whistling,  the  barking  of  dogs, neigh- 
ing of  horses,  and  snatches  of  time-honoured  ballads. 

Toland  rose  at  dawn  and  made  up  the  fire,  after 
which  he  strolled  along  the  road  past  Mallock's  shanty 
to  a  point  whence  an  extensive  view  could  be  obtained. 
The  sun  was  just  rising  over  the  hills  into  a  cloudless 
sky  and  filling  the  valleys  with  light.  The  mists 
were  curling  up  like  incense  from  the  shrine  of  the 
god  of  day,  and  in  the  distance  the  waters  of  the 
Tonga  glinted  here  and  there  amid  the  dark  red 
gums  as  it  took  its  course  through  the  fertile  flats  of 
Kumbarra. 

No  prospect  could  have  been  more  alluring  to  a 
strong  man  hungry  for  a  home  than  this  glimpse  of 
Australia  Felix,  and  Toland,  stretching  out  his  hand, 
as  if  in  anticipation  of  ownership,  said  to  himself, 
'  This  is  the  promised  land. '  After  dreaming  for  a 
while  he  strolled  back  to  the  camp  and  found  the 
unimaginative  Scott  intent  upon  breakfast.  The 
cold  meat  and  damper  were  soon  disposed  of,  and, 
lighting  their  pipes,  the  two  men  began  once  more 
to  discuss  the  absorbing  topic  of  the  ballot  and  their 
chances  of  securing  a  portion  of  the  6000  acres  of 

9 


10  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

river  flats  which  Harlin  had  determined  to  obtain  for 
himself. 

The  hours  dragged  slowly  till  ten  o'clock,  when 
Harlin  and  Wise  drove  by  to  the  '  Morning  Star, ' 
followed  shortly  afterwards  by  Archer,  the  land 
officer,  and  Watterson,  his  clerk.  Then  the  selectors 
began  to  gather  at  the  shanty,  forming  a  group  apart 
from  the  dummies,  and  soon  the  officials,  with  Harlin 
and  Wise,  appeared  upon  the  verandah,  smoking 
cigars  and  chatting  together.  '  These  are  the  would- 
be  country  gentlemen,  I  presume, '  said  Archer,  with 
a  sneer.  '  They  are  an  elegant-looking  lot,  and  the 
other  crowd  beyond  look,  if  anything,  worse. ' 

'  Those  are  the  gentlemen  Mr  Harlin  hopes  to  see 
provided  with  estates  to-day, '  said  Wise. 

'  Ah,  I  am  glad  to  see  Mr  Harlin  has  not  left  much 
to  chance,'  commented  Archer,  opening  his  watch 
with  a  yawn.  '  Shall  we  make  a  start  now?  It's 
about  half-past  ten. ' 

Harlin  agreed,  and  Watterson,  placing  the  ballot- 
box  on  the  verandah,  took  a  plan  of  the  estate,  marked 
off  in  selections,  into  a  room  behind.  Then  Archer 
announced  that  the  ballot  was  about  to  begin,  and 
the  men  in  the  road  pressed  close  to  him,  but  the 
troopers  pushed  their  horses  among  the  crowd  till  a 
space  was  cleared  before  the  verandah,  when  the  land 
officer  produced  a  paper  from  which,  in  a  weary  voice, 
he  read  the  conditions  of  the  ballot. 

The  procedure  was  simple  enough.  Numbers  cor- 
responding with  those  on  the  application  forms  had 
been  placed  in  the  box,  to  be  taken  out,  one  by  one, 
by  the  land  officer,  who  would  call  aloud  the  number 
drawn  and  siimmon  its  owner  to  step  into  the  room 
and  choose  a  block. 


II 

Watterson,  followed  by  Harlin  and  Wise,  went 
into  the  shanty,  and  Archer  turned  the  crank  handle 
of  the  box  in  an  ostentatious  manner  to  mix  up  the 
numbers  and  indicate  that  no  manipulation  was 
possible.  Then  he  turned  back  his  sleeve  to  still 
further  advertise  the  honesty  of  the  proceedings,  and, 
putting  his  hand  into  the  box,  drew  out  a  number 
and  glanced  at  it.  '  I  call  on  No.  60  to  come  forward 
and  select,'  he  said. 

A  dissolute-looking  ruffian  stepped  out  from  the 
crowd,  and  there  was  a  murmur  from  the  selectors 
as  he  was  seen  to  be  one  of  Harlin's  dummies. 

'  There  goes  the  pick  of  the  land  back  to  the 
squatter, '  muttered  one. 

'  Harlin's  got  his  ten  pounds'  worth  there  all  right/ 
said  another ;  and  many  low-breathed  curses  followed 
the  man  on  to  the  verandah. 

'  Go  in,  my  good  fellow,  and  select, '  said  Archer, 
lighting  a  fresh  cigar  and  sitting  down  to  wait. 

The  man  on  entering  the  room  gave  his  applica- 
tion to  Watterson,  who,  having  noted  it  as  correct, 
placed  the  plan  before  him  and  told  him  to  point 
out  the  block  he  desired  to  select.  Harlin  stepped 
alongside  to  direct  the  man  in  his  choice. 

"  I'll  take  this  here  block,'  said  the  dummy,  with  a 
wink ;  and  Watterson,  having  made  an  entry  in  his 
book,  struck  out  the  block  upon  the  plan. 

'  I  suppose  that's  very  satisfactory  to  you,  Mr 
Harlin,'  he  said  as  the  man  retired. 

'  Very,'  was  the  reply.  '  It's  worth  two  thousand 
pounds  to  me. ' 

'The  Duffy  Act  isn't  such  a  bad  thing  for  the 
squatters  after  all,'  meditatively  commented  Wise. 

As  soon  as  the  first  applicant  reappeared  on  the 


12  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

verandah  the  land  officer  drew  another  number, 
which  again  was  that  of  a  dummy,  and  again  from 
the  selectors  came  angry  mutterings.  The  man 
selected  under  Harlin's  orders  as  before,  and  dum- 
mies' numbers  followed  one  another  until  the 
seventh  call.  '  No.  101,'  said  Archer. 

4  Here,  sir, '  answered  a  cheerful  voice,  and  George 
Scott  stepped  forward,  radiant,  his  comrades  con- 
gratulating him  as  he  went. 

'  Good  luck  to  you,  George ! '  said  Toland,  clapping 
him  on  the  back. 

'  Just  in  time  for  a  bit  of  the  flats, '  said  one. 

4  Don't  let  Harlin  jockey  you,'  advised  another. 

4  Spoil  his  block,  old  man, '  added  a  third. 

Scott  stepped  into  the  room  tremulous  with  ex- 
citement. 

4  Show  me  your  form, '  said  the  clerk,  coldly, '  and 
hurry  up,  as  we  have  no  time  to  lose. ' 

However,  Scott  was  too  pleased  with  himself  to  be 
flustered,  and  Watterson  was  now  quite  an  insignifi- 
cant person  in  his  eyes.  '  All  right,  I  reckon, '  he 
said  cheerily  as  he  laid  the  paper  on  the  table. 

'  You  may  select  on  that  plan,'  said  the  clerk, 
while  Harlin  looked  on  by  no  means  pleased. 

4  I'll  take  this  block,'  said  Scott,  indicating  an 
excellent  area  on  the  edge  of  dummy  selections. 

'  All  right,  you  can  go, '  said  Watterson  as  he 
marked  it  off. 

'Wait  a  minute,  my  man,'  interrupted  Harlin, 
stepping  forward.  '  I  want  to  see  you  after  the 
ballot  is  over. ' 

4  What  for? '  asked  Scott,  bluntly. 

1  I  thought  we  might  arrange  a  sale,'  answered 
Harlin,  rather  taken  aback. 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  13 

'Not  much!'  said  Scott,  jauntily.  'And  you 
needn't  bother  to  try.' 

Harlin  glanced  angrily  at  the  retreating  figure. 

4  By  G — !  I'll  make  him  change  his  tune  before 
long, '  he  muttered,  but  the  appearance  of  five  dum- 
mies in  succession  mollified  him,  and  he  turned  to 
Wise  with  a  sigh  of  satisfaction.  '  I'm  right  now,' 
he  said.  'I've  got  back  all  the  flats  except  the  block 
of  that  fellow  Scott,  and  I'll  have  that  in  time.' 

So  it  went  on,  five  or  six  blocks  going  to  the 
dummies  for  every  one  to  a  man  eager  to  make  a 
home,  and  forty  blocks  had  gone  when  No.  120  was 
called. 

In  response  Toland  stepped  on  to  the  verandah, 
but  not  the  Toland  of  the  hopeful  morning.  Watch- 
ing fraud  destroy  his  fondest  hopes  had  roused  in 
him  an  anger  that  he  found  difficult  to  control.  He 
strode  with  a  savage  look  into  the  room  and  flung 
his  paper  to  the  clerk.  Watterson  pointed  to  the 
plan  and  told  him  to  select. 

Harlin  was  leaning  over  it. 

4  On  one  side ! '  said  Toland  gruffly. 

Harlin  drew  back  in  astonishment.  '  You  might 
be  more  civil,  my  man ! '  he  exclaimed  angrily. 

'  And  you  more  honest, '  retorted  Toland,  turning 
his  back  on  Harlin,  who  muttered  something  about 
handing  him  over  to  the  police. 

Toland  slowly  scrutinised  the  plan.  All  the  best 
land  was  gone.  Only  the  heavily-timbered  country 
remained  and  it  was  difficult  to  make  a  choice. 

'  Hurry  up, '  said  the  clerk,  snappishly. 

'  The  day  is  young, '  replied  Toland. 

'  Is  that  man  going  to  take  all  day?  What's 
keeping  him? '  called  Archer  from  the  verandah. 


14  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Toland  walked  to  the  door  with  the  plan  in  his 
hand.  '  I'm  trying  to  find,'  he  called  out,  '  if  those 
rascals  of  dummies  and  the  man  that  bought  them 
have  left  a  decent  piece  of  ground  for  an  honest  man 
to  select,  but,  by  God !  sir,  they've  collared  the  lot. ' 

Then  he  turned  back  into  the  room,  marked  off  a 
block,  and  shoved  his  way  roughly  through  a  group  of 
dummies  to  join  Scott  on  the  outskirts  of  the  crowd. 

Meanwhile  the  ballot  proceeded,  and  fifty  blocks 
had  been  disposed  of,  including  one  secured  by 
Mallock  on  the  main  road  near  his  shanty,  when  No. 
200  was  drawn. 

*  Is  No.  200  here? '  called  Archer,  as  no  one 
spoke. 

4  Yes, '  said  a  gruff  voice,  and  a  burly  fellow  stepped 
forward.  '  I'm  here  all  right,  but  I'm.  not  goin'  to 
select.  Harlin  can  keep  his  scrub.  I  don't  want  it. ' 

A  laugh  went  round  the  crowd;  Archer  called 
irritably  to  Watterson  and  drew  another  slip.  Later 
on  the  dummies,  acting  under  instructions  from 
Harlin,  who  did  not  think  the  land  worth  the  Govern- 
ment price,  declined  to  select.  Some  of  the  other 
men,  too,  refused  to  have  it,  but  the  bulk  went  to 
would-be  farmers,  and  the  Kumbarra  ballot  resulted, 
as  so  many  before  it,  in  the  allotment  of  rich  land  to 
the  rich  man  and  poor  land  to  the  poor. 

As  soon  as  it  was  over  Harlin  and  Wise  began 
taking  the  signatures  of  the  dummies  to  the  transfers 
of  the  various  blocks  they  had  secured,  and  one  by 
one  these  worthy  selectors  filed  into  the  bar  parlour  to 
assign  their  land  to  the  squatter,  each  one  receiving 
a  ;£io  cheque  in  payment  for  his  dishonesty. 

When  the  last  one  had  been  dealt  with  Harlin 
turned  to  Wise.  '  We  had  better  get  away  as  soon 


15 

as  we  can,'  he  said.  '  There's  going  to  be  an  unholy 
orgie  here,  and  I've  asked  Watterson  and  Archer  to 
stay  the  night  at  the  station.  The  troopers  have 
gone  back  to  Tongalong  and  Mallock  will  have  the 
field  to  himself. ' 

'  I  am  sure  I  have  no  desire  to  dispute  it  with 
him, '  answered  Wise.  '  Let  us  go  at  once. ' 

Archer  and  Watterson  were  waiting  on  the 
verandah.  The  buggies  were  soon  brought  round 
and  the  party  left  the  '  Morning  Star, '  not  before  an 
uproar  rising  in  the  bar  gave  promise  of  what  was  to 
come. 

Scott  and  Toland  were  already  sitting  in  their 
camp,  with  a  damper  on  the  fire,  when  the  buggies 
passed  them,  and  shortly  afterwards  Bill  Briggs, 
Mallock' s  stableman,  appeared  on  the  scene. 

4  Good  evening,  mates, '  he  said.  '  Is  one  of  you 
named  Scott? ' 

'  I'm  the  man,'  replied  Scott. 

4  Well,  I've  just  come  down  to  say  as  how  Mr 
Archer,  the  land  hofficer,  wants  to  see  you  at  onst. 
You've  forgotten  to  fix  up  one  of  them  papers  an' 
he  says  you've  to  come  straight  aways.' 

*  All  right,  I'll  come  at  once, '  said  Scott,  alarmed  at 
the  very  suggestion  of  there  being  anything  wrong. 
'  I'll  be  back  in  a  jiffy,  mate. ' 

4  Hurry  up,  then, '  said  Toland,  as  he  turned  the 
damper,  '  and  steer  clear  of  the  grog. ' 

'  I'll  see  he  don't  go  wrong,'  said  Bill,  patronis- 
ingly,  and  the  two  departed.  Bill  was  most  friendly. 
He  congratulated  Scott  heartily  on  getting  a  good 
block  of  land,  and  when  they  reached  the  shanty  in- 
vited him  to  have  a  glass  on  the  strength  of  it.  Not 
liking  to  appear  churlish,  Scott  agreed,  and  though 


1 6  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

the  bar  was  crowded  they  managed  to  squeeze  into 
a  corner  near  the  wall,  and  Bill  asked  his  guest  what 
he  fancied. 

'  Dark  brandy? '  said  Mallock,  with  a  wink.  '  I've 
the  very  thing  for  you,  sir — something  real  good. ' 

'  Mine's  a  taste  of  gin,'  said  Bill. 

Mallock,  after  a  little  delay,  handed  them  the 
bottles  and  Scott  and  Bill  helped  themselves. 

'Well,  here's  luck,'  said  Bill,  emptying  his  glass 
at  a  draught. 

'  Same  to  you, '  said  Scott,  following  suit. 

Bill  looked  regretfully  at  the  empty  tumbler. 
'  I'm  powerful  dry  to-day,'  he  said  meaningly. 

Scott  smacked  his  lips  like  a  connoisseur.  He 
was  on  fire  from  his  mouth  to  the  bottom  of  his 
stomach,  and  yet  he  felt  a  craving  for  more. 

'  My  shout  this  time, '  he  said,  after  leaning  against 
the  wall  a  second  to  consider.  '  By  Gosh,  I've  a  thirst 
on  me  too ! ' 

4  Same  again? '  asked  Mallock. 

Bill  and  Scott  nodded. 

'I  thought  you'd  like  this  stuff,'  said  Mallock, 
sympathetically.  '  I  sized  you  up  as  a  gent  what 
knew  brandy  from  tobacco  juice. ' 

Bill  grinned  wickedly,  and  Scott,  who  seldom 
drank  spirits,  felt  flattered.  '  Won't  you  join  us, 
Mr  Mallock? '  he  said. 

'  Thank  you,  sir,'  said  Mallock,  '  I'm  sorry  I  can't 
drink  brandy.  I  'ave  to  go  in  for  something  softer 
myself. ' 

Number  two  nobbier  went  down,  and  Scott  leaned 
more  heavily  against  the  wall. 

'  I  don't  know  the  gentleman's  name,'  said  Mal- 
lock to  Bill. 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  1 7 

'  Oh,  beg  pardon,  this  is  Mr  Scott  what  got  that 
block  of  land  Mr  Harlin  'ad  'is  'eart  on.' 

'  What !  You're  the  Mr  Scott  the  land  officer  was 
askin'  after.'  Mallock  leaned  over  the  counter  and 
shook  Scott  warmly  by  the  hand.  '  He  went  away 
a  moment  before  you  came,'  he  continued,  '  but  he's 
left  a  paper  here  for  you  to  sign  and  leave  with 
me.' 

'  I'll  do  it  now,'  said  Scott,  trying  to  raise  himself, 
though  instinctively  he  felt  it  would  not  be  safe  to 
leave  the  wall. 

'Wait;  you  must  have  one  more  glass  for  luck,' 
objected  Mallock.  '  I  never  drinks  with  a  man  with- 
out he  drinks  with  me.' 

Scott  hesitated,  but  it  was  too  late.  He  had  been 
hocussed ;  power  and  volition  had  gone.  All  he 
knew  was  that  his  throat  was  parched,  his  brain  reeled, 
his  knees  shook  and  his  stomach  burned. 

They  raised  their  glasses  and  drank  together. 

'  Bill,  show  Mr  Scott  round  to  the  parlour,'  said  Mal- 
lock. Scott  heard  the  voice  somewhere  far  away  and 
started  to  go,  leaning  heavily  on  Bill,  who  dragged 
him  through  the  crowd.  He  lurched  against  a  selector 
also  leaving  the  bar,  who  looked  round  with  anger 
that  changed  to  surprise  as  he  recognised  the  drunken 
man  in  Bill's  charge.  They  stumbled  somehow  along 
the  verandah  and  at  last  reached  the  parlour,  which 
Mallock  entered  at  the  same  time  by  another  door. 

Bill  dropped  Scott  into  a  chair,  and  with  a  wink 
to  Mallock  left  the  room. 

1  Here's  the  paper,  Mr  Scott,'  said  Mallock,  placing 
it  on  the  table  before  him  and  handing  him  a  pen. 
'  And  here's  where  you  have  to  sign.'  Scott  looked 
at  him  blankly  as  he  took  the  pen  and  dropped  it. 

B 


1 8  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  Here's  where  the  land  officer  said  you  have  to 
sign,'  repeated  Mallock,  in  an  irritated  tone. 

'  Can't  read'sh,'  mumbled  Scott,  looking  helplessly 
at  the  paper. 

'  What  the  blazes  does  that  matter  ?  Mr  Archer 
said  to  sign  here.  I  reckon  you'd  better  hurry  up.' 

'  Give  me  'nother  drink.' 

'  No ;  not  till  you've  signed  it.' 

'Sign  n'other  day — too  tired  to-day — han'  shaky 
to-day.' 

'  Oh,  it's  all  right,  man  ! — and  Mr  Archer  said  if 
you  didn't  sign  to-day  you'd  lose  the  land.' 

'  Wa'sh-you-say  ?  '    cried  Scott,  fiercely. 

'  Sign,  or  you'll  likely  lose  the  land.' 

'Gim'me  th'  pensh.' 

Mallock  gave  it  him  again.  With  sdme  difficulty 
he  got  it  fixed  between  his  ringers  and  jtfie  point  was 
on  the  paper  when  he  looked  up  and  said  with  a 
feeble  smile,  '  What  ish  my  name  ? ' 

'  Damn  it ! '  said  Mallock,  whose  eyes  had  grown 
expectant,  '  your  name's  Scott — George  Scott — G. 
Scott— any  blasted  Scott ! ' 

Scott  again  prepared  himself,  fortified  by  this 
information,  and  resolved  to  accomplish  the  great 
feat.  He  wrote  the  G  slowly  but  fairly  well.  The  S 
was  an  even  greater  success,  as  its  curly  nature  suited 
his  condition,  and  with  infinite  care  the  signature  was 
finished.  He  gazed  at  it  for  a  moment  with  stupid 
complacency,  and  then,  stretching  his  arms  out  on 
the  table  and  laying  his  head  upon  them,  he  im- 
mediately fell  asleep. 

'  That's  all  right,  old  chap,'  said  Mallock,  soothingly. 
He  patted  Scott  on  the  head,  and  picking  up  the 
document  put  it  into  his  pocket  with  a  sinister  smile. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  19 

'  Say,  boss,'  interrupted  Bill,  thrusting  his  head 
through  the  doorway,  '  you'd  better  hurry  up. 
Toland's  in  the  bar  asking  for  his  mate.  A  chap  told 
him  at  the  camp  he  was  here  drunk.  What'll  I  say  ?  ' 
'All  right,  Bill,  I'm  coming,'  answered  Mallock, 
with  an  appropriate  oath.  He  roughly  shook  Scott, 
who  raised  his  head  and  half  opened  his  eyes,  blurred 
with  drunkenness,  which  overcame  him  again  im- 
mediately. His  head  fell  back  on  the  table,  and 
Mallock,  lifting  him  from  his  chair,  laid  him  at  full 
length  upon  the  floor  before  joining  Bill  on  the 
verandah. 

As  they  reached  the  bar  Toland  came  out  with 
a  savage  look  on  his  face.  '  Look  here,  you,'  he  said 
roughly,  '  can  you  tell  me  where  my  mate  Scott  is  ? ' 
'  I  can  'that,'  answered  Mallock,  virtuously  in- 
dignant '  The  fool  came  down  here,  signed  a  paper 
for  Mr  Archer,  and  then  went  on  the  drunk — drank  a 
bottle  of  brandy  right  off,  didn't  'e,  Bill  ?  ' 

'  He  did,'  replied  Bill,  shaking  his  head.  '  I  never 
seen  the  likes  of  it.' 

'  He's  sleepin'  it  off  in  the  parlour,'  added  Mallock ; 
'  and  if  I  was  you  I'd  just  let  him  be  till  he  comes 
round  a  bit.' 

By  way  of  reply  Toland  strode  past  them  into  the 
parlour.  The  ghastly  look  on  his  mate's  face,  as  he 
lay  with  it  upturned  upon  the  floor,  shocked  him,  and 
but  for  the  stertorous  breathing  he  might  have  sup- 
posed him  dead.  He  knelt  down,  spoke  to  him  and 
tried  to  rouse  him  without  effect.  Then  he  lifted  him 
on  to  his  shoulders,  and,  regaining  his  feet  with  an 
effort,  strode  out  of  the  shanty  along  the  road  to 
their  camp.  Mallock  and  Bill  stood  on  the  verandah 
watching  him. 


20  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  That  chap's  got  some  muscle  all  right,'  said 
Mallock. 

'  I  reckon  his  mate'll  lose  some  of  his  liquor  if  'e 
don't  keep  his  'ead  up,'  grinned  Bill.  '  But  I  say, 
boss,  I  was  goin'  to  tell  you  I  seen  those  girls  take  a 
couple  of  cheques  in  the  bar,  an'  it  might  be  as  well  if 
you  got  in  and  looked  after  things.  They're  gettin' 
a  bit  sudden,  I  tell  you.' 

Mallock  was  immediately  roused  to  a  sense  of  duty, 
and  hurrying  into  the  bar  possessed  himself  of  the 
cheques.  It  was  a  red-letter  day  in  his  career.  He 
had  laid  himself  out  to  make  a  big  haul,  and  when 
Harlin  instructed  him  to  procure  dummies  he  took 
care  to  get  men  who  might  be  trusted  not  to  carry 
their  cheques  away  from  the  shanty ;  and  considering 
the  presence  of  lovely  woman  essential  to  human  happi- 
ness, he  engaged  two  houris  from  a  drinking  den  in 
Tongalong  to  do  the  honours  of  his  establishment  on 
this  great  occasion.  Consequently,  now  that  the  time 
had  come,  everything  went  with  a  verve  entirely  to  his 
satisfaction.  The  bar  that  had  at  first  been  merely  a 
babel  gradually  became,  as  night  wore  on,  a  scene  of 
horrible  debauchery,  over  which  Mallock  worthily  pre- 
sided, growing  more  and  more  elated  as  cheque  after 
cheque  found  its  way  into  his  pocket.  Soon,  however, 
he  noticed  that  some  of  the  men  still  kept  their  heads 
and  their  cheques,  and  in  order  to  stir  their  sluggish 
veins  he  had  the  parlour  cleared  of  its  scanty 
furniture  and  told  Bill  to  start  a  dance  to  the  music 
of  his  fiddle.  The  women  left  the  bar  to  attend  the 
revel,  which  gained  immediate  popularity  notwith- 
standing that  the  atmosphere  was  stifling — unwashed 
humanity,  bad  spirits  and  flaring  tallow  dips  each 
contributing  a  quota. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  21 

Most  of  the  men  danced  together.  The  two 
women,  who  only  favoured  the  more  sober  of  the  crew, 
danced  with  them  till  their  brains  whirled,  when  they 
led  them  to  the  bar,  drank  with  them,  ogled  and 
kissed  them,  and  finally  filched  away  their  money. 
Soon  all  were  drunk  and  the  foul  air  was  full  of  fouler 
ravings,  and  when  the  fighting  over  the  women 
began  the  shanty  became  a  perfect  pandemonium. 

By  midnight  Mallock  had  about  fifty  ten-pound 
cheques  in  his  possession,  but  pleasure  at  the  success 
of  his  venture  was  tinctured  with  alarm,  for  matters 
were  getting  far  beyond  his  control.  As  time  wore  on 
and  the  mad  devilry  of  the  men  increased,  the  sense  of 
personal  danger  completely  took  possession  of  him. 
Consequently,  when  the  coach  stopped  after  midnight 
for  a  change  of  horses,  he  called  the  driver  aside. 
'  Look  here,  Alick,'  he  said,  '  I  want  you  to  take 
word  to  the  police-station  at  Tongalong  as  soon  as 
you  get  in.  Tell  them  I  want  the  troopers  sent  out 
as  I  have  a  lot  of  fellows  here  smashing  up  the 
place  and  putting  me  in  fear  of  my  life.' 

'  All  right ;  it  looks  as  if  you  had  a  rough  time 
ahead,'  replied  the  driver,  consolingly,  as  he  turned 
away.  Passing  the  bar  he  caught  sight  of  a  young 
fellow  he  knew  and  warned  him  that  Mallock  was 
sending  for  the  police.  As  the  coach  rumbled  off 
the  meaning  of  the  driver's  words  appealed  to  the 
man,  and  after  some  unsuccessful  attempts  he 
clambered  on  to  the  counter.  '  I  say,  mates,'  he 
shouted  from  this  point  of  vantage,  '  Mallock  has 
sent  for  the  traps  ! ' 

There  was  a  volley  of  more  or  less  coherent  oaths, 
and  at  this  inauspicious  moment  Mallock  appeared 
behind  the  bar. 


22  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Alick's  confidant  turned  on  him  savagely.  '  Why 
have  you  sent  for  the  traps,  you  hound?'  he  cried. 

Mallock  winced.  '  Who  said  I  had  ? '  he  replied 
evasively. 

'  You  have,  you  cur  !     Alick  told  me.' 

'You'd  better  be  civil,'  retorted  Mallock,  fiercely, 
'  or  I'll  have  you  marched  off  pretty  quick  when  they 
do  come.' 

'Will  you — you  damned  thief!  Then  I'll  break 
your  neck  first  and  get  our  cheques  back.' 

He  leapt  from  the  bar  counter,  but  Mallock  drew 
back,  and  snatching  up  an  empty  bottle  struck  his 
assailant  a  blow  on  the  head  that  stretched  him  on 
the  floor. 

Immediately  a  dozen  men  scrambled  upon  the 
counter,  but  before  they  were  over  it  Mallock  rushed 
out  through  a  door  opening  into  the  yard  behind, 
pursued  by  a  frenzied  mob,  who  poured  out  of  the 
dancing-saloon  to  join  the  chase.  Dodging  his 
pursuers  round  the  stable  he  was  making  for  the  bush 
when  he  saw  a  saddled  horse  hitched  by  his  bridle  to 
the  road  fence.  His  pursuers,  yelling  with  drunken 
fury,  were  close  upon  him  when  he  grabbed  the  reins. 
There  was  no  time  to  deal  with  buckles.  He 
snapped  the  reins  with  a  wrench  from  the  rail,  and 
springing  into  the  saddle  galloped  away  from  the  eager 
hands  outstretched  to  seize  him.  For  some  hundred 
yards  he  rode  at  breakneck  speed,  after  which  his 
panic  subsided  and  he  pulled  up  to  consider  the 
position.  Nothing  could  be  gained  by  going  back,  so 
he  determined  to  reach  Tongalong  as  soon  as 
possible,  to  make  his  money  safe  and  return  with  the 
police.  One  by  one  Mallock's  pursuers  straggled  in, 
baffled  and  cursing,  but  his  absence  was  not  for  long 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  23 

a  check  upon  their  merriment.  More  willing  hands 
than  his  behind  the  bar  distributed  the  liquor  gratis, 
and  the  scene  soon  became  indescribable,  while 
nothing  could  be  heard  but  foul  oaths  and  blasphemy, 
the  screaming  of  women  and  drunken  shouting  and 
laughter  of  men. 

So  the  revels  continued  for  a  time;  and  then,  in 
response  to  a  brilliant  idea  engendered  in  some 
half-maddened  brain,  a  horrible  procession  left  the 
shanty.  The  more  sober  pulled  out  the  wholly 
stupefied,  after  which  all  gathered  in  the  road  waiting 
for  something  to  happen.  Presently  a  man  ran  out 
laughing  and  hurrahing,  and  a  thin  curl  of  smoke 
followed  him  through  the  door.  This  was  greeted 
with  drunken  cheers,  renewed  a  few  seconds  later 
when  a  dense  cloud  streaked  with  red  rolled  forth  on 
to  the  verandah,  and  soon  there  was  a  roar  as  the 
spirits  ignited  and  the  fire  shot  up  through  the  bark, 
quickly  wrapping  the  whole  building  in  flames.  In 
a  few  minutes  the  rafters  burned  through  and  the 
roof  fell  in,  sending  fountains  of  sparks  into  the  sky, 
and  a  quarter  of  an  hour  sufficed  to  reduce  the 
shanty  to  ashes. 

When  the  fun  was  over  and  only  a  smoking  mass 
remained,  the  company  began  to  disperse,  thoroughly 
satisfied  with  their  night's  entertainment.  Some 
staggered  off  to  where  they  imagined  their  camps 
to  be,  while  others,  more  wisely,  lay  down  on  the 
ground  to  sleep  off  the  effects  of  their  intoxication. 
The  two  women  found  a  camping-place  for  themselves 
on  the  hay  in  the  stable. 

Next  morning,  when  daylight  and  returning  con- 
sciousness enabled  the  men  to  see  the  result  of  their 
evening's  enjoyment,  it  was  unanimously  resolved  to 


24  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

leave  as  soon  as  possible.  Horses  were  hurriedly 
saddled,  swags  strapped  on,  and  when  Mallock  and 
the  troopers  arrived  at  ten  o'clock,  Bill  and  the  two 
women  alone  remained  to  tell  the  tale.  Mallock  at 
first  was  furious  and  swore  to  have  the  rascals  who 
had  destroyed  his  property  arrested,  but  on  second 
thoughts  he  decided  to  do  nothing  in  the  matter,  for 
he  remembered  that  £$oo  in  hand  was  worth  many 
shanties  in  the  bush,  and  that  it  was  just  as  well  for 
him  that  the  rightful  owners  of  the  cheques  should 
be  fleeing  from  the  law.  So,  having  instructed  the 
women  to  come  on  by  coach,  he  rode  away  to  pre- 
pare for  a  fresh  start  in  life. 


CHAPTER    III 

IT  was  nearly  dark  when  the  squatter's  party  left 
the  shanty  en  route  for  Kumbarra  homestead. 

Wise  was  in  Harlin's  single-seated  buggy  behind 
a  smart  pair  of  horses,  while  Archer,  driving  a  hired 
vehicle  from  Tongalong  stables,  hung  close  on  his 
wheels,  not  relishing  such  a  pace  for  night  travelling 
on  a  bush  road  with  which  he  was  not  acquainted. 

The  men,  tired  after  their  day's  work,  puffed  at 
pipes  or  cigars  in  comparative  silence,  and  the  ten 
miles  to  the  station  were  soon  covered.  Harlin  stood 
waiting  at  the  outer  gate  for  his  guests  to  come  up. 

'Thanks!  That's  very  kind  of; you,'  said  Archer 
as  he  passed  into  a  five-hundred-acre  paddock,  beyond 
which  the  house  lay  by  the  river.  '  I  must  con- 
gratulate you  on  entering  for  the  first  time  in  your 
life  on  to  your  own  estate.' 

'Thank  you,'  laughed  Harlin;  'but  I've  been 
driving  over  it  for  miles,  chuckling  to  myself  all  the 
time  at  the  way  we've  done  the  blasted  cockies. 
Better  let  me  take  the  lead  again  here.  The  track's 
a  bit  puzzling  on  these  gum  flats.' 

He  got  into  his  buggy,  and  soon,  beyond  another 
gate,  they  passed  the  great  woolshed,  near  the  head 
of  a  reedy  lagoon,  giving  over  their  horses  a  few 
minutes  later  to  the  men  at  the  stables. 

Mrs  Harlin  met  them  on  the  verandah  of  the 
25 


26  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

rambling,  commodious  house,  and  glanced  with  a 
shade  of  surprise  at  Archer  and  Watterson,  whom 
she  had  not  seen  before. 

'  Well,  Tom,  did  things  go  satisfactorily  ? '  she 
asked. 

'  Splendidly,  my  dear.  The  landscape  for  miles 
around  won't  be  spoilt  by  cockies'  huts.  Let  me 
introduce  Mr  Archer,  the  land  officer,  and  Mr 
Watterson — also  in  the  Department.  They  want 
rooms,  of  course.  Mr  Wise  stays  with  us  too,  to- 
night— and  we  all  want  our  dinner.' 

The  men  bowed,  and  Archer  expressed  the  hope 
that  their  unceremonious  arrival  would  cause  no  in- 
convenience, wondering  all  the  time  how  such  a 
rough  diamond  as  Harlin  had  become  possessed  of 
the  beautiful  girl,  seeming,  in  black  evening  gown, 
almost  taller  than  her  husband. 

Their  arrival  gave  no  trouble  of  any  kind,  she 
said.  Their  rooms  would  be  ready  in  a  minute  or 
two,  and  dinner  in  half  an  hour. 

When  the  other  men  had  gone  to  dress  Harlin 
remained  in  the  dining-room  for  another  drink,  and 
spent  a  few  minutes  in  getting  out  wine  from  the 
cellar ;  consequently,  when  the  gong  sounded,  he  was 
in  his  dressing-room,  hurriedly  slipping  on  a  black 
coat.  It  was  too  much  of  a  bore  to  struggle  into 
dress  clothes  in  his  own  house. 

Mrs  Harlin's  eyebrows  contracted  slightly.  She 
would  have  liked  to  see  her  husband  a  little  less  red 
in  the  face  and  as  well  groomed  as  the  other  men,  but 
it  was  not  worth  troubling  about — not  in  any  case  a 
thing  that  one  could  mention — and  she  showed  her 
guests  their  places  at  the  table. 

Archer  sat  on  her  right,  with  a  slight,  fair  girl  of 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  27 

eighteen  as  his  neighbour  on  the  other  side.  From 
Mrs  Harlin  he  had  only  learnt  when  they  were  intro- 
duced that  her  name  was  Macfarlane. 

She  seemed  somewhat  shy  and  wore  a  walking  dress, 
neatly  made,  but  of  some  cheap  material.  From  these 
data  Archer,  who  noticed  such  things  and  always 
liked  to  know  who  people  were  in  order  to  decide 
if  they  were  anybody,  had  decided  Miss  Macfarlane's 
case  in  the  negative,  putting  her  down  as  a  governess 
until  Harlin  spoke  to  her.  She  had  arrived  from 
Tongalong  that  morning  with  her  father,  she  said,  and 
he  would  call  for  her  to-morrow  on  his  way  home. 

Mr  Macfarlane,  Harlin  explained,  as  though 
apologising  for  the  girl's  presence,  was  a  Presbyterian 
clergyman  of  the  district,  for  whom  the  station  was  a 
convenient  halting-place  on  his  rounds ;  and,  deter- 
mined to  take  his  cue  from  the  squatter's  tone, 
Archer  was  presently  somewhat  staggered  on  noticing 
that  Miss  Macfarlane  addressed  Mrs  Harlin  by  her 
Christian  name. 

Incidents  of  the  ballot  formed  the  chief  subject  of 
conversation,  and  the  women,  for  some  time  taking 
little  part  in  it,  listened  with  interest. 

When  the  dessert  came  in,  the  land  officer,  in  atone 
suggesting  that  the  freehold  was  a  gift  conferred  by 
him,  congratulated  Harlin  again  upon  becoming  the 
owner  of  such  a  magnificent  property. 

'  And  you  too,  Mrs  Harlin,'  he  said,  raising  a  glass 
of  wine  to  his  lips — 'will  you  allow  me  to  felicitate 
you  both  and  to  drink  success  to  the  future  of 
Kumbarra  Station — one  of  the  finest  trophies  of  the 
Duffy  Land  Act?' 

Mrs  Harlin  bowed  rather  coldly. 

'  You  don't  look  altogether  pleased,  Mrs  Harlin,' 


28  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

said  Wise,  glancing  across  the  table.  'You  don't 
entirely  share  Mr  Archer's  enthusiasm  for  the  legisla- 
tion he  takes  such  an  able  part  in  administering.' 

'  I  hardly  know/  she  said  with  a  thoughtful  frown. 
'  Of  course  I  am  glad  the  place  is  ours — it  has  always 
seemed  that  it  should  be.  But  I  don't  feel  particularly 
proud  of  the  way  we  have  obtained  it.' 

'What  nonsense,  my  dear!  Everyone  has  done 
the  same  thing,'  said  Harlin,  contemptuously. 

'Done  what?'  asked  Miss  Macfarlane,  interest  in 
the  subject  triumphing  over  her  shyness.  '  I'm  afraid 
I'm  very  stupid,  but  I  haven't  quite  understood  what 
you  were  talking  about.' 

Mrs  Harlin  laughed.  '  Neither  have  I,  Ruth,'  she 
said,  '  beyond  that  there  has  been  some  smart  piece 
of  trickery — part  of  a  general  scheme  for  saving  the 
country  which  it  behoves  us  all  to  be  very  proud  of 
and  thankful  for.  Your  confession  has  emboldened 
me  to  admit  it,  and  perhaps  Mr  Archer  will  explain.' 

Archer  shrugged  his  shoulders.  'Trickery  is  a 
nasty  word,'  he  said ;  '  your  husband  has  only  made 
good  use  of  a  bad  law.' 

'Out  of  which  you  draw  a  handsome  salary  by 
assisting  to  subvert  it,'  put  in  Wise,  pleasantly. 

Harlin  laughed.  Watterson  permitted  himself  a 
smile,  and  Archer  flushed  slightly. 

'That  remark  is  scarcely  in  good  taste,  or  fair, 
Wise,'  he  said.  You  twit  me  with  subverting  the 
law,  which  is  not  strictly  true,  while  you  and  your 
profession  have  used  all  your  ingenuity  in  doing  so.' 

'  Granted,  my  dear  fellow !  But  that's  what  we  are 
paid  for ;  and  you  are  paid  for  precisely  the  reverse.' 

Archer  showed  decided  symptoms  of  annoyance. 

Mrs  Harlin  interposed.     '  You  are  still  both  talking 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  29 

in  riddles,'  she  said,  smiling.  '  I  wish  you  would 
really  explain  the  facts  for  Miss  Macfarlane  and  me, 
and  let  us  assess  the  praise  or  blame  where  it  is  due.' 

'Very  well,  Mrs  Harlin,'  said  Wise,  'if  your 
husband  doesn't  object  to  my  taking  a  brief  on  the 
other  side.' 

'  I  have  the  land,  you  guarantee  I  have  the  law,  so  I 
don't  care  what  you  say  about  the  ethics/  laughed 
Harlin.  'But  it's  like  the  cheek  of  you  lawyers  to 
turn  upon  the  squatters,  who  have  put  thousands  into 
your  pockets.' 

'  I  wonder  what  fraction  of  one  per  cent  it  would 
amount  to  on  the  thousands  we  have  put  into  yours  ? ' 
queried  Wise,  blandly.  '  However,  we  will  let  that 
pass.  You  want  to  know  what  the  Duffy  Act  was 
designed  for,  Mrs  Harlin,  and  what  it  is  being  used 
for  ?  '  he  continued,  turning  to  her  with  some  anima- 
tion warming  his  cold,  intellectual  face. 

Mrs  Harlin  nodded. 

'  It  was  meant  to  parcel  out  about  four  million  acres 
of  the  most  fertile  lands  of  this  colony,  leased  hereto- 
fore by  the  squatters,  among  agriculturists,  who  would 
convert  them  into  farms  and  homes.  And  it  is  being 
used  to  put  those  millions  of  acres  of  land  securely 
into  the  absolute  ownership  of  the  squatters  for  all 
time.' 

'  And  a  jolly  good  thing  too  ! '  commented  Harlin, 
pouring  himself  out  another  glass  of  port. 

'  Don't  interrupt,  Tom.    Let  us  hear  how  it  is  done.' 

'  Very  simply.  A  squatter's  run  is  thrown  open  for 
selection  in  blocks  of  various  sizes.  Applicants  for 
land  register  their  names.  A  ballot  is  held,  whereat 
the  first  person  chosen  by  lot  has  first  pick  of  the 
blocks,  and  so  on  in  order.  The  squatter  who  wishes 


30  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

to  buy  his  land,  or  any  part  of  it,  at  the  price  of  a 
pound  an  acre,  gets  a  number  of  men  to  apply, 
nominally  on  their  own  behalf,  but  really  on  his,  as 
his  agents — slang  term  "dummies."  He  procures  a 
sufficient  number  of  these  estimable  people  to  reason- 
ably ensure  that  they  shall  swamp  the  genuine 
applicants,  and  that  the  greater  number  of  blocks,  by 
the  laws  of  chance — not  to  mention  an  occasional 
manipulation  of  the  ballot  box — shall  go  to  them — 
that  is,  to  their  employer,  the  squatter.' 

'  That  seems  clear  enough,'  said  Mrs  Harlin.  '  And 
what  do  the  dummies  get  out  of  it?' 

'  That  will  be  clear  enough  too,  my  dear,'  said 
Harlin,  with  a  rueful  smile,  '  if  you  consult  my  bank- 
book in  a  day  or  two.' 

'  Mr  Harlin  has  been  unfortunate,'  said  Wise.  '  The 
dummies  about  here  are  low  people  and  a  mercenary 
tribe ;  but  in  many  cases — notably  where  a  large 
station  was  recently  thrown  open  for  selection  near 
Sale — the  good  people  so  dearly  loved  a  lord  that 
they  tumbled  over  each  other  in  their  anxiety  to 
dummy,  gratis  and  gratefully,  for  the  nearest  approach 
to  it — a  big  landlord  near  the  town.' 

4  That  simply  means,'  said  Archer,  who  had  listened 
with  supercilious  resignation,  '  when  it  is  shorn  of 
your  cheap  sarcasm,  that  decent  people  were  willing 
to  give  a  decent  man  a  hand  against  the  depredations 
of  a  lot  of  riff-raff  upon  his  estate.' 

'  I  am  flattered  by  your  detection  of  the  sarcasm,' 
replied  Wise.  '  I  know  it  is  a  shibboleth — of  our  class, 
shall  I  say  ? — that  the  large  landowner  is  necessarily 
a  decent  man,  and  the  man  with  aspirations  to  be- 
come a  small  landowner,  ipso  facto,  a  scoundrel — but 
I  do  not  subscribe  to  it.' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  31 

'  You  have  hidden  your  philanthropic  light  under  a 
bushel — of  fees,  I  presume,'  sneered  Archer. 

'  I  lay  claim  to  no  light  but  that  of  common  sense. 
But  does  it  never  occur  to  you  that  it  may  be  a 
mistake  for  you,  in  a  semi-judicial  position,  to 
cynically  strip  the  liberal  disguise  from  the  Act  that 
employs  you  on  behalf  of  the  people,  by  showing 
yourself  so  ardently  a  squatters'  champion  ? ' 

Reddening  with  anger  under  Wise's  persistent 
attacks,  Archer  snorted  indignantly,  unable  to 
become  effectively  articulate  in  the  presence  of  ladies. 
Harlin  enjoyed  the  situation,  too  pleased  with  the 
day's  success  to  find  much  personal  sting  in  the 
lawyer's  words.  Besides,  he  liked  anything  in  the 
nature  of  a  fight;  and  a  suspicion  that  Archer  was 
inclined  to  patronise  made  it  seem  good  that  he 
should  be  taken  down  a  peg  or  two  in  a  duel  with 
Wise. 

'  These  lawyers  are  too  smart  for  us  stupid  fellows, 
Archer,'  he  said,  with  a  wink  at  the  other  men. 
'  Help  yourself  and  pass  the  bottle — while  you  think 
of  something  to  say.' 

'  Won't  you  cease  lashing  us  poor  squatters  and  our 
allies  and  tell  us  what  we  have  really  done  ? '  inter- 
posed Mrs  Harlin,  smiling. 

'  Have  I  not  told  you  ? — reaped  salvation  from  a 
law  which  was  meant  for  your  destruction.' 

'  And  do  you  blame  us  ? ' 

Wise  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

'  I  am  not  a  moralist.  But  you  must  admit  that 
there  is  humour  in  the  position.  And,  as  a  philo- 
sopher, I  find  it  amusing  that  the  most  wealthy  and 
honourable  men  in  the  country  should  subscribe  a 
huge  fund  to  bribe  the  less  wealthy  and  honourable 


32  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

men  of  the  Legislature — for  the  honourable  men's 
advantage.' 

'  I  think  we've  had  enough  of  this,  Wise,'  said 
Harlin,  with  a  not  altogether  pleased  laugh,  and 
Archer  muttered  something  about  execrable  taste. 

'  But  can  that  be  true  ?  What  do  you  mean  ? ' 
asked  Miss  Macfarlane,  with  wide-open,  troubled 
eyes. 

Wise  met  her  glance  with  a  slight  smile.  '  I  must 
ask  Mrs  Harlin's  permission  before  I  can  explain.' 

'  Go  on,'  she  said  somewhat  coldly. 

'  I  mean  simply  this — that  an  association,  called 
"The  Victorian  Association,"  was  formed  by  the 
squatters.  Its  object  was  to  prevent  the  breaking  up 
of  large  estates.  Huge  sums  of  money  passed  through 
its  hands,  and  it  is  believed  that  thousands  were 
paid  to  obtain  the  insertion  in  the  Duffy  Act  of  one 
little  word  "  assigns."  It's  a  lawyer's  word,  meaning, 
perhaps,  not  much  to  you,  but  in  its  place  in  the^  Act 
it  means  that  dummying  is  legal,  that  the  genuine 
selector  is  burdened  with  obligations  to  fence  and 
clear  his  land  from  which  the  squatter  to  whom  the 
dummy  has  assigned  is  free — means,  in  fact,  the  wreck 
of  the  Duffy  Act  as  a  measure  for  settling  people 
instead  of  sheep  upon  the  land.  And,  as  I  say,  the 
most  honourable  Pharisees  of  the  country  paid 
thousands  for  that  little  word,  to  prevent  the]  riff- 
raff, of  whom  Mr  Archer  was  speaking,  from  obtain- 
ing the  selections  which  his  employers  pay  him  for 
pretending  to  sell  them.' 

'Did  you  subscribe  to  this  association,  Tom?' 
asked  Mrs  Harlin,  after  a  pause. 

'Only  a  hundred,  my  dear.' 

'  I  am  sure  you  would  not  have  Mr  Harlin  reap  its 


THE  WISDOM  Of  ESAU  33 

advantages  without  paying  something  towards  its 
expenses,'  said  Wise,  softly.  '  May  I  trouble  you  to 
pass  me  the  almonds,  Watterson  ? ' 

Mrs  Harlin  surveyed  Wise  with  a  displeased  smile. 

'  We  have  to  thank  you  for  a  most  eloquent  ex- 
planation. But  do  you  know,  I  am  almost  inclined 
to  endorse  Mr  Archer's  opinion  that  it  was  not  in 
the  best  possible  taste.' 

'  Mr  Archer  is  as  fortunate  as  I  am  the  reverse.' 

There  was  an  awkward  pause,  and  Harlin,  finding 
his  signals  ignored,  suggested  irritably  that  perhaps 
the  ladies  would  like  to  go  to  the  drawing-room.' 

'  Presently,'  said  Mrs  Harlin. 

Her  eyebrows  were  knitted  in  unwelcome  thought. 
'  Mr  Wise,'  she  exclaimed,  turning  to  him  again, 
'  you  have  sneered  to  your  satisfaction  at  the  squatters 
as  Pharisees  and  dispensers  of  bribes,  at  the  people 
who  take  them,  and  at  Mr  Archer  who  dares  to  think 
that  the  land  should  remain  with  the  better  classes. 
Have  you  taken  no  part  in  assisting  the  squatters  ? ' 

'If  he  says  he  hasn't  he  shall  return  my  fee,' 
grumbled  Harlin. 

Wise  received  the  interjection  with  a  smile  and 
addressed  himself  to  his  hostess. 

'You  would  not  have  me  sneer  at  myself,  Mrs 
Harlin,  when  there  are  so  many  people  ready  to  save 
me  the  trouble.  As  to  the  part  I  have  taken,  it  has 
been  a  lawyer's  part  only.  I  have  interpreted  the 
Act  as  the  judges  say  it  should  be  interpreted,  and 
done  such  things  as  follow  therefrom.  So  far  I  have 
helped  the  squatters,  for  only  the  dry  bones  of  the 
Act  are  liberal ;  and  the  breath  of  life  has  been 
breathed  into  it  by  the  Victorian  Association.  But 
I  have  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  making  of  a 

C 


34  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

sham  law,  or  with  a  sham  administration  of  it.  One 
thing  I  should  like  to  add,'  he  said,  after  taking 
breath,  '  is  that  I  regret  if  I  have  over-stepped  the 
bounds  of  good  taste  in  my  criticism.  Of  course,  my 
words  had  no  personal  application,  and  I  beg  your 
forgiveness  for  speaking  so  frankly.' 

Mrs  Harlin  smiled. 

'  The  words  have  a  personal  application,  for  which 
the  facts  are  to  blame.  It  is  not  palatable  to  be  told 
that  one's  acres  are  the  trophy  of  bribery  and  fraud,' 
she  said  bitterly.  '  But  I  think  your  frankness  must 
be  forgiven  since  I  practically  demanded  it.  Ruth, 
shall  we  go  to  the  drawing-room?' 

'  Thank  you,'  said  Wise,  bowing  and  holding  the 
door  open  as  she  swept  gracefully  from  the  room  with 
Miss  Macfarlane.  '  I  shall  be  more  careful  in  future.'  , 

'  You'd  better,'  laughed  Harlin  with  annoyance  when 
Wise  had  closed  the  door.  '  What  made  you  such  an 
infernal  firebrand  ?  It's  all  very  well  among  men,  but 
you  ought  to  keep  your  mouth  shut  about  bribery  and 
nonsense  of  that  kind  before  ladies.  It  worries  them, 
you  know — and  the  worst  of  it  is  my  wife  thinks.' 

'  Does  she  ? '  said  Wise.  '  I  am  sorry ;  and  I  vote 
we  drop  the  subject  now,  at  anyrate.' 

He  put  his  pipe  into  his  mouth  to  hide  a  sarcastic 
smile  that  would  come  unbidden,  and  remained  almost 
as  silent  as  Watterson,  contributing  to  the  conversa- 
tion only  smoke  clouds  and  a  word  here  and  there. 

His  ideals  were  not  high.  He  was  quite  willing,  as 
a  matter  of  business,  to  assist  the  squatters,  but  the 
smug  complacency  of  the  Archers  who  toadied  them 
was  annoying  to  him.  Therefore  he  felt  the  rebuff 
from  Mrs  Harlin  cheaply  purchased  by  the  seizure  of 
his  opportunity  to  tell  unpleasant  truths.  Mrs  Harlin 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  35 

thought !  He  had  guessed  she'  did,  and  that  the  other 
girl  was  also  inclined  to  that  unfeminine  habit,  or  he 
would  not  have  wasted  breath  upon  his  sarcasms. 
Wise  was  scarcely  aware,  however,  how  deeply  Mrs 
Harlin  took  his  words  to  heart. 

'It's  galling  to  one's  pride,  isn't  it?'  she  asked, 
sitting  by  the  drawing-room  window. 

'  What  ? '  asked  Ruth  Macfarlane. 

'  To  think  that  we  are  only  thieves  of  all  these 
miles  of  country.' 

Mrs  Harlin  knelt  on  the  bow  window-seat,  and 
leaning  her  elbows  on  the  sill  gazed  over  the  moon- 
lit flats.  '  That  we  have  paid  all  the  scum  of  the  dis- 
trict to  rob  poor  men  of  their  chance  of  a  living — and, 
I  think  worst  of  all,  that  we  have  laid  ourselves  open 
to  be  patronised  by  such  men  as  Mr  Archer  and 
sneered  at  by  such  as  Mr  Wise.' 

She  spoke  with  a  bitterness  Ruth  had  never  heard 
before,  and  leaving  some  work  on  her  chair  beneath 
the  lamp  she  went  over  to  the  window. 

'  It  is  foolish  to  speak  in  that  way,  Margaret,'  she 
said  gently.  '  You  have  done  nothing  to  be  ashamed 
of.  And  men  don't  look  at  these  things  as  women  do.' 

'  My  husband  and  his  friends  don't — certainly,'  she 
laughed.  '  I  wonder  how  those  men — what  were  their 
names  ? — that  we  were  making  fun  of  to-night  look 
upon  us  and  our  schemes.' 

'  Scott  and  Toland,'  said  Ruth,  pensively. 

She  remembered  the  names,  for  her  sympathies  had 
been  secretly  with  them  when,  at  the  dinner-table, 
Archer  was  making  a  good  story  of  their  boorish 
insolence. 

'  Yes  ;  I  can  picture  how  they  feel.  One  of  them 
told  my  husband  it  was  a  pity  he  was  not  more 


36  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

honest,  didn't  he?  I  wonder  if  it  is.  If  we  were 
more  honest  I  don't  quite  see  what  we'd  do.' 

'  Don't  be  morbid,'  laughed  Ruth,  placing  her  hand 
on  Mrs  Harlin's  shoulder.  '  Come  and  give  me  some 
coffee  before  it  gets  cold.' 

Mrs  Harlin  left  the  window  and  Ruth  took  up  her 
work  again.  '  It  is  puzzling,'  she  said  presently. 
4  My  sympathies  are  with  the  selectors.  My  father 
and  I  really  belong  more  to  their  class,  and  I  see 
most  of  poor  people ;  and  yet  I  believe  they  are  no 
better  than  the  rich  and  would  do  just  what  the 
squatters  have  done  if  they  had  the  chance.' 

'  I  suppose  so,'  said  Mrs  Harlin,  wearily.  '  Perhaps 
you  will  marry  a  selector  some  day  and  be  able  to 
tell  me  if  they  are  really  so  wicked  as  my  husband 
thinks.  Will  you  have  cream  in  your  coffee  ? ' 

'  Yes,  please.  I  am  not  thinking  of  marrying  any- 
one at  present,'  said  Ruth,  laughing.  '  But  if  a 
selector  should  be  my  fate  I  promise  to  tell  you 
exactly  how  wicked  he  is.  However,  I  should  like 
someone,  with  more  money.  I  am  tired  of  being  poor.' 

'  Never  mind  the  money ;  marry  someone  with 
brains  and  strength  of  will  and  character,  or — ah, 
here  they  come  from  the  dining-room.' 

The  seriousness  faded  from  Mrs  Harlin's  face  and 
the  note  of  earnestness  disappeared  from  her  tone  as 
she  greeted  the  men  with  some  pleasant  words  of 
welcome ;  but  a  frown  came  for  a  second  and 
vanished  again  when  Harlin  entered  behind  the 
others,  with  face  flushed  and  a  step  studiously  steady. 
Then  she  took  a  seat  beside  him  on  the  sofa. 

'  Poor  old  fellow,  you  are  tired,'  she  whispered. 
'  You  must  not  sit  up  late.  Don't  be  cross  with  me  for 
my  excursion  into  politics.  I  won't  make  any  more.' 


CHAPTER   IV 

THE  collie  raised  his  head  from  the  hearth,  to  the 
discomfort  of  a  yellow  cat  pillowed  against  him,  and 
growled  in  a  half  interrogative,  half  assertive  manner. 

'  Lie  down,  Toss,  you  old  fool !  It's  nothing  but  a 
possum  on  the  roof,'  muttered  Toland,  who  sat  before 
the  kitchen  fire,  with  a  candle  on  the  table  behind 
him  and  a  well-thumbed  volume  of  Scott's  poems 
on  his  knee.  He  had  left  his  clearing  in  the  new 
cultivation  patch  only  when  it  grew  too  dark  to  dis- 
tinguish pick  from  shovel ;  and  now,  while  he  waited 
for  the  potatoes  to  boil,  he  snatched  a  few  minutes 
with  his  favourite  among  the  few  authors  that  he 
knew. 

Toss  sank  his  head  on  his  paws  again  and  wagged 
his  tail  dutifully  when  his  master  spoke,  but  the 
possum  theory  evidently  failed  to  satisfy,  for  he 
presently  rose  leisurely,  sniffed  at  the  door,  and  then 
barked  his  conviction  that  strangers  were  approach- 
ing. Wondering  who  it  might  be,  Toland  opened 
the  door  and  followed  Toss,  who  scampered  out, 
barking  furiously,  and  soon  he  heard  the  sound  of 
voices,  one  of  them,  he  fancied,  a  woman's.  Un- 
certainty changed  into  astonishment  when  two  riders 
emerged  from  the  narrow  track  through  the  wattles. 
One  was  Mr  Macfarlane,  the  Presbyterian  minister 
whom  he  had  met  at  the  township,  and  whom,  even 
in  the  dim  light,  he  recognised  ;  the  other,  a  woman 

37 


38  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU- 

with  a  girlish  and  graceful  figure,  whom  he  had  never 
set  eyes  on  before.  Macfarlane's  greeting  soon  ex- 
plained matters. 

'  Well,  Mr  Toland,  you  see  I've  kept  my  promise 
to  descend  upon  you,'  he  said,  'and  I  have  to  ask 
you  to  be  better  than  yours — which  you'll  remember 
was  to  give  a  night's  lodging  to  the  old  man — for 
I've — for  reasons  which  I  will  explain — brought  my 
daughter  with  me.  Ruth,  my  dear,  let  me  make  you 
acquainted  with  Mr  Toland.' 

With  embarrassed  pleasure  Toland  acknowledged 
the  introduction  and  welcomed  father  and  daughter 
to  his  home.  At  his  suggestion  they  went  to  the 
kitchen  fire  while  he  let  their  horses  go  in  the  little 
paddock,  and  it  was  not  till  his  return  that  he  had 
a  chance  of  studying  his  lady  visitor.  Then,  when 
she  looked  up  from  the  book  he  had  left  open,  he 
saw  that  her  large  eyes  were  soft  and  blue,  her  com- 
plexion fair,  and  the  foot  peeping  out  from  beneath 
a  dark  riding  skirt  seemed  to  him  ridiculously  small. 

Macfarlane  half  turned  on  his  chair,  still  holding 
his  hands  to  the  blaze,  and  explained  to  Toland  the 
cause  of  his  late  arrival.  He  and  his  daughter,  he 
said,  had  intended  to  put  up  at  Mallock's  new  shanty, 
but  the  presence  of  some  drunken  bullock-drivers 
made  it  an  undesirable  stopping-place,  and  he  had 
therefore  taken  the  liberty  of  bringing  his  daughter 
on  with  him  to  seek  Toland's  hospitality.  Toland 
expressed  his  pleasure  at  their  arrival,  only,  he  said, 
with  a  rueful  glance  at  the  shapeless  piece  of  much- 
hacked  corned  beef  on  the  table,  he  regretted  that 
he  had  to  offer  such  rough  faring  and  lodging  to  a 
lady. 

Ruth  laughed  pleasantly,  declaring  herself  entirely 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  39 

comfortable.  She  accepted  a  jug  of  hot  water  which 
Toland  filled  from  the  kettle  on  a  hook  above  the 
fire,  and  went  to  the  empty  room  which  he  told  her 
was  soon  to  be  his  sister's. 

When  she  returned  to  the  kitchen,  with  some 
appreciative  remark  about  the  house  on  her  lips, 
Toland  had  respread  the  whole  table  with  a  coarse 
cloth,  made  the  tea,  and  was  dishing  the  potatoes, 
while  Mr  Macfarlane  looked  on. 

'  What  a  shame  ! '  she  exclaimed.  '  You  should 
have  let  me  help  you  lay  the  table,  Mr  Toland.' 

'If  you  are  as  hungry  as  I  am  you'll  help  him  to 
clear  it,  my  dear,'  said  the  minister,  laughing.  '  The 
ride  from  Kumbarra  has  given  me  quite  an  appetite.' 

The  friendly  manner  of  his  visitors,  and  the  justice 
they  did  to  his  simple  fare,  soon  put  Toland  at  his 
ease,  and  he  felt  a  pleased  pride  in  entertaining  guests 
for  the  first  time  beneath  his  own  roof.  Mr  Macfar- 
lane was  communicative,  and  from  him  Toland  learnt 
much  of  the  trials  and  hardships  of  a  bush  minister's 
life,  spent  in  travelling  large  tracts  of  wild,  sparsely- 
populated  country  — 'meeting  sometimes  with  but 
surly  welcome;  sometimes  forced  to  sleep  under 
the  sky  with  no  other  shelter  than  a  gum  tree. 
Ruth  Macfarlane  often  accompanied  her  father, 
who  had  lost  his  wife  some  years  before,  and 
Toland  conceived  a  wondering  admiration  for  the 
delicate-looking  girl  who  made  light  of  journeys 
and  hardships,  from  which,  in  less  robust,  self- 
reliant  communities,  many  a  man  might  shrink. 
With  her  mother's  delicacy  of  feature,  and  a  girlish 
education  which  had  been  her  mother's  chief  care 
and  pleasure  in  life,  Ruth  Macfarlane  possessed  her 
father's  philosophical  disposition,  cheerfully  disposed 


40  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

to  make  the  best  of  everything ;  and  she  had  early 
persuaded  the  minister  to  let  her  accompany  him 
in  his  wanderings  whenever  it  was  possible. 

Much  of  this  Toland  learnt  when  the  frugal  meal 
was  over,  and  Macfarlane,  swaying  dangerously  on  his 
chair,  with  the  Scotch  accent  broadening  and  the 
pulpit  emphasis  more  marked,  launched  out  upon  the 
history  of  his  church  in  Victoria  bound  up  so  closely 
with  his  own.  Toland  was  interested,  and  by  skilful 
comment  and  question  drew  Mr  Macfarlane  on,  while 
Ruth,  scarcely  hearing  the  familiar  facts  and  phrases, 
watched  her  host,  interested  in  the  lines  of  character 
in  his  face.  This  was  the  man  Mr  Archer  had  made 
such  fun  of  at  Kumbarra,  but  she  fancied  that  he 
would  scarcely  care  to  indulge  his  humour  in  Toland's 
presence.  A  powerful,  obstinate  chin,  she  thought,  if 
his  eyes  and  mouth  told  the  truth,  must  be  hidden  by 
the  brown  beard.  There  was  something  calling  for 
sympathy  in  the  mixture  of  eagerness  and  melan- 
choly in  his  expression,  and  she  noted  with  undefined 
satisfaction  that  his  hands,  though  brown  and  scarred, 
were  clean,  as  was  also  the  striped  flannel  shirt  show- 
ing beneath  the  unbuttoned  coat  of  home-spun,  with 
its  low-cut  collar,  which  emphasised  the  strength  of  a 
neck  set  well  into  a  chest  both  deep  and  broad.  To 
physical  view  and  mental  conjecture  Ruth  found  him 
satisfying,  and  she  pursued  her  own  thoughts,  heed- 
less of  what  her  father  was  saying,  till  Toland  slowly 
turned  his  head,  and  as  his  scrutinising  eyes  met  hers 
she  realised  that  she  had  taken  advantage  of  her  host's 
apparent  absorption  to  stare  at  him  inexcusably. 
Macfarlane  had  waxed  warm  :  '  — and  though  I  say  it 
who  shouldn't,  my  dear  little  girl  here  has  been  the 
best,  the  bravest — ' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  41 

'  Please  stop,  father  !  Consider  my  feelings,  if  not 
Mr  Toland's,'  she  cried,  blushing  and  laughing.  '  I 
don't  know  how  long  you  have  been  talking  about 
yourself  and  me.' 

The  minister  stopped  suddenly,  looked  taken 
aback,  then  laughed,  and  pulled  out  his  watch. 

'  I'm  afraid  you  are  right,  my  dear,'  he  said.  '  It  has 
been  a  twenty  minutes'  discourse  at  the  very  least; 
and  I  ask  our  friend's  pardon  for  inflicting  such  a 
thing  unprofessionally  upon  him.' 

'  I've  not  been  so  interested  before,'  replied  Toland, 
convincingly.  '  England  can  give  us  no  such  life  as 
you  have  told  me  of,  that  wants  pluck  and  endurance 
and  gives  freedom — and  I'm  glad  I've  come  here  to 
share  it.  I  have  my  own  land  that  not  a  lifetime  of 
work  could  win  for  me  in  the  old  country.  Here  I  can 
use  my  brain  and  muscle  for  myself,  and  need  call  no 
man  master — as  good  as  any  man — the  equal  of  any 
man  that  I  deserve  to  be !  '  Toland's  voice  had 
grown  louder,  his  eyes  flashed  and  he  brought  his  fist 
heavily  down  upon  the  table,  making  the  crockery 
dance,  and  he  all  at  once  became  aware  of  the  eyes 
of  father  and  daughter  turned  upon  him.  Hers  were 
suggestive  of  mingled  interest  and  amusement  that 
brought  a  faint  flush  to  his  cheek. 

'  I  beg  your  pardon,'  he  said  with  an  apologetic 
laugh.  '  I  must  have  thought  I  was  talking  to  the 
village  folk  at  home  again.  I  get  a  bit  silly  when  my 
thoughts  run  on  the  starvation  and  slavery  I've  seen 
and  the  freedom  and  plenty  there  might  be.  Won't 
you  take  a  seat  by  the  fire  ?  I'll  see  to  the  rooms  if 
you'll  excuse  me.' 

He  left  the  kitchen  and  his  guests  drew  their  chairs 
to  the  welcome  blaze  beneath  the  great  rough  chimney 


42  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

fashioned  of  slabs  lined  with  stone,  bedded  in  pipe- 
clay from  the  creek.  Macfarlane  glanced  after 
Toland's  retreating  figure  and  shook  his  head. 

'  He's  a  thoughtful  man,  Ruth,  a  remarkable  young 
man,  conseederably  above  folks  in  his  own  walk  of 
life  in  ideas  and  intelligence.  But  human  nature's 
much  the  same,  old  world  or  new,  and  I  fear  that  Mr 
Toland  is  destined  to  many  a  disillusion.'  The 
minister  sighed  placidly  for  unregenerate  mankind. 
'  You  should  not  have  laughed  at  him,  Ruth.  It  was 
not  kind,  my  dear.' 

'  It  was  only  surprise,  father.  I  wasn't  expecting 
him  to  break  out  from  his  quiet  seriousness  like  that. 
He  is  the  man  that  told  Mr  Harlin — ' 

Toland's  return  checked  Ruth  in  the  middle  of  her 
sentence. 

'  I'll  be  lighting  my  pipe,  Mr  Toland,  just  to  assure 
you  that  my  daughter  won't  object  if  you  do  like- 
wise,' said  Macfarlane,  producing  a  well-seasoned 
briar  from  the  tail  pocket  of  his  long  black  coat 

Ruth  got  up  and  went  to  the  table,  which  Toland 
was  regarding  doubtfully.  '  Smoke,  of  course,'  she 
said.  '  And  please  let  me  help  you  with  the  washing 
up.  I  can  see  that's  what  you  are  thinking  about.' 

With  some  scruples  Toland  consented,  and  smiled 
at  Ruth's  chatter  as  she  wiped  dry  the  tea  things  he 
handed  from  the  tin  of  hot  water  between  them, 
while  Macfarlane,  from  the  chimney  corner,  threw  in 
an  occasional  remark.  Then  Toland  was  persuaded 
to  smoke  too,  and  when  the  little  party  was  comfort- 
ably settled  round  the  fire  the  minister  questioned 
him  upon  his  history  and  plans. 

Silent  and  reserved  in  the  society  that  was  his  as  a 
rule,  Toland  was  ready  enough  to  speak  of  himself 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  43 

and  his  aspirations  when  he  felt  assured  of  intelligent 
sympathy,  and  he  talked  freely  of  his  life  in  England. 

Ever  since  he  was  a  boy  he  had  hoarded  every 
penny  he  earned  with  the  view  steadily  before  him  of 
acquiring  a  home  in  some  new  country  when  he 
should  have  capital  to  make  a  start  and  his  old  father, 
whom  he  was  loath  to  leave,  should  have  need  of  him 
no  more.  His  original  idea  had  been  to  go  to  the 
States,  but  when  his  father  died,  a  little  more  than  a 
year  ago,  the  disturbances  in  America  had  settled  his 
determination  towards  Australia.  His  own  savings 
and  the  sale  of  stock  and  implements  on  the  farm, 
which  his  people  had  held  for  generations,  gave  him 
a  little  more  than  £500,  and  with  this  he  had  pro- 
ceeded to  realise  his  dream.  It  was  now  in  part 
accomplished,  and  his  first  act,  he  told  them,  on  enter- 
ing into  possession  of  his  virgin  acres,  was  to  write  to 
his  sister  Bess,  his  only  relative,  to  come  over  with  all 
speed  she  could  and  join  him  in  the  new  home. 

Ruth  was  interested  in  the  sister  of  whom  Toland 
spoke  with  much  affection. 

1  I'm  afraid  I'm  a  poor  hand  at  a  woman's  portrait,' 
he  laughed,  '  but  she's  a  good  lass,  fair  to  see  and 
brave  to  do.  She  can  brew  and  bake,  sing  like  a 
bird — and  for  the  rest  she's  a  fine  lump  of  a  girl, 
with  colour  in  her  cheeks  and  bonny  blue  eyes — 
much  like  your  own,  Miss  Macfarlane.' 

Ruth  coloured  a  little  and  laughed,  and  Mr  Mac- 
farlane commented  judicially.  '  It's  a  very  pleasing 
picture  you  have  drawn,  and  I  hope  we'll  be, soon 
welcoming  your  sister  among  us.  And  may  I  ask 
what  you're  now  doing  on  your  farm,  Mr  Toland  ? ' 

'  Clearing,  sir,  on  a  twenty-acre  patch  that  I  hope 
to  begin  ploughing  by  September.' 


44  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  And  what  will  you  put  in  it  then  ? ' 

'  Maize.  I  know  nothing  of  it,  but  they  tell  me  it's 
the  thing  for  a  first  crop  hereabouts.' 

'  Ay !  you'll  be  doing  right  there,'  nodded  Mac- 
farlane,  approvingly.  '  You  should  raise  fine  corn  on 
those  flats ;  and  if  you'll  take  my  advice  you'll  plant 
some  pumpkins  in  the  rows.' 

From  farming  the  talk  drifted  to  books,  and  Mac- 
farlane  found  that  Toland  was,  like  himself,  a  keen 
student  of  Scott,  while  neither  of  them  having  quite 
the  impartiality  of  their  author,  an  argument  provoked 
by  Marmion  and  Flodden  Field  grew  in  warmth  till 
Ruth,  with  the  average  woman's  inclination  to  identify 
keen  debate  with  quarrel,  stepped  in  to  part  the 
border  champions.  She  was  tired  after  the  ride, 
she  said,  and  declared  that  her  father,  too,  should 
go  to  bed,  if  not  for  his  own  sake  to  let  Mr  Toland 
get  a  good  rest  for  his  hard  work  next  day.  The  old 
man,  who  was  quite  ready  for  another  pipe  and  further 
argument,  reluctantly  consented.  He  had  said  grace 
over  the  meal  uninvited,  but  Toland,  determined  not 
to  be  again  found  wanting,  made  a  diffident  sugges- 
tion about  prayers,  in  response  to  which  Macfarlane 
read  a  few  verses  from  a  pocket  Bible  and  offered 
a  commendably  short  extempore  prayer,  asking  a 
special  blessing  on  all  subduers  of  the  wilderness  and 
tillers  of  the  soil.  Then  Toland  lighted  his  guests  to 
their  rooms.  Macfarlane  occupied  his,  and  Ruth  that 
which  was  to  be  his  sister's,  while  he  made  a  shake- 
down for  himself  before  the  kitchen  fire,  where  he 
soon  fell  asleep,  not  hearing  the  rain  which  began 
after  midnight  and  was  descending  in  torrents  when 
the  dawn  broke  dull  and  late. 

A  glance  showed  him  that  work  was  out  of  the 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  45 

question  for  a  time — so  also,  he  reflected  with  satisfac- 
tion, was  the  departure  of  his  guests.  He  had  slept 
late.  The  clock  on  the  mantelpiece  struck  seven 
before  he  had  dressed  and  stowed  away  his  blankets, 
while  the  fire  was  only  just  lighted  and  the  kettle 
filled  from  the  creek,  when  there  was  a  tap  at  the 
door  and  Ruth  entered,  to  find  him  slicing  rashers 
from  a  side  of  bacon. 

'  I  hope  I'm  not  in  the  way,'  she  said.  '  Isn't  it  wet 
and  cold  ? '  She  stood  in  the  fireplace  holding  her 
hands  to  the  blaze,  and  looked  round  at  him,  smiling. 

'  Yes  ;  I  doubt  you  won't  be  able  to  go  on  to-day — 
which  I'm  only  too  glad  of — if  you're  not  sorry,'  he 
added  shyly. 

'  Oh,  I  should  be  quite  content  to  rest  a  little,  but  my 
father  is  in  a  hurry  to  reach  Black  Dog  Creek.  I  wonder 
he  hasn't  been  up  for  hours  studying  the  weather.' 

She  refused  the  chair  which  Toland  brought  to  the 
fire.  '  No,  I'm  not  going  to  sit  down,'  she  said.  '  You 
go  on  with  your  work  and  show  me  where  the  flour  is. 
I'll  make  you  some  scones  if  you  will  let  me.' 

Toland's  first  impulse  was  to  object,  but  she  insisted, 
laughingly  accusing  him  of  grudging  the  flour  and 
soda,  and  in  the  end  he  felt  it  very  pleasant  to  see 
her,  with  her  sleeves  rolled  up,  mixing  the  dough 
while  they  talked.  When  the  scones  were  in  the 
camp-oven  he  called  Mr  Macfarlane  and  got  out  a 
tin  of  jam  and  some  potted  butter  from  his  store  to 
do  honour  to  the  occasion. 

There  was  a  break  in  the  clouds  after  breakfast. 
Patches  of  blue  sky  showed  in  the  north,  and  white 
mists  gathered  in  fleecy  masses  against  the  hills. 
Between  the  showers  the  minister  took  a  walk  with 
Toland  to  see  that  the  horses  were  all  right,  and  to 


46  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

inspect  the  clearing,  where  he  was  taking  out  the 
smaller  trees,  leaving  in  each  acre  some  twenty  ring- 
barked  monsters  between  which  the  plough  was  to 
find  its  way.  Then  they  returned  and  Toland 
showed  his  visitors  the  house. 

It  was  a  four-roomed  cottage  with  a  detached 
kitchen,  built  by  Toland  himself  with  the  help  of 
his  handy  man,  Mick  M'Larty,  beside  a  rapid 
pebbly  creek,  with  a  gentle  slope  rising  beyond  a 
dip  in  the  ground  on  the  one  bank,  and  on  the  other 
a  small,  rich  flat  flanked  by  a  range  of  hills.  The 
cottage  was  innocent  as  yet  of  floors  other  than 
beaten  earth.  Boards  would  not  be  available  till 
a  promised  saw-mill  set  up  in  the  vicinity.  The 
little  window-sashes  had  been  carted  ready-made 
from  Melbourne.  Sheets  of  bark  served  for  doors, 
and  the  bark  walls  were  lined  only  with  hessian ; 
but  the  rooms  were  large,  with  a  potentiality  of 
comfort  when  papered  and  furnished. 

Ruth  complimented  Toland  on  his  work,  and 
offered  several  hints ;  apologised  for  interfering  with 
what  would  be  his  sister's  domain,  then  excused 
herself  again  by  the  fact  that  Miss  Toland  would  be 
ignorant  of  Melbourne  shops  and  prices,  and  Toland, 
quite  agreeing,  wrote  down  addresses  of  cheap  places 
and  treasured  many  other  of  her  suggestions  in  his 
memory.  The  minister,  too,  was  interested  in  Toland's 
schemes,  but  kept  his  eye  constantly  on  the  weather, 
and  as  it  cleared  towards  mid-day  Toland  regretfully 
brought  in  the  horses.  He  begged  his  guests  to 
come  again  soon  when  his  sister  would  be  with  him, 
and  they  assured  him  that  they  would  do  so.  Then 
they  set  out  on  their  rough  track,  and  Toland,  after 
watching  them  disappear  among  the  trees,  went  back, 
with  a  new  sense  of  loneliness,  to  his  interrupted  work. 


CHAPTER   V 

BESS  TOLAND  sat  knitting  on  the  verandah  waiting 
for  her  brother's  return  as  the  dusk  of  Christmas  Eve 
drew  on,  and  her  busy  fingers  moved  with  automatic 
skill,  only  stopping  when  she  paused  to  listen  for  the 
sound  of  approaching  hoofs.  Her  brother  had  ridden 
to  the  post-office  at  Mallock's  shanty  for  the  weekly 
mail,  which  seldom  brought  anything  but  the 
Melbourne  paper — at  long  intervals  a  letter  from 
the  old  country — and  Bess  was  wondering  if  any  of 
the  friends  left  behind  would  time  their  Christmas 
greetings  to  reach  her  at  the  season  which  had  no 
reality  in  this  land  of  topsy-turvydom.  There  were 
no  home  letters,  however — only  a  line  from  Scott 
saying  that  he  would  take  a  holiday  and  spend  his 
Christmas  with  them,  so  Toland  informed  his  sister 
as  he  cantered  up  to  the  garden  gate,  and  flinging 
the  paper  on  to  the  verandah,  rode  away  to  take  the 
saddle  off  his  horse.  That  Scott  was  coming  pleased 
Bess,  for  besides  being  a  link  with  the  old  country,  he 
was  cheery  and  pleasant  and  seemed  to  find  her 
society  agreeable.  The  paper  she  seldom  took  the 
trouble  to  look  at,  and  without  undoing  the  wrapper 
she  sat  a  little  longer  on  the  verandah  before  going 
inside  to  make  the  tea. 

A  few  minutes  later,  when  they  were  seated  at  their 
meal  in  the  skillion  room,  she  discovered  that  her 
brother's  good  spirits  were  not  solely  owing  to  Scott's 
promised  visit, 

47 


48  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  We'll  have  quite  a  gay  week,  Bess,'  he  said,  stirring 
his  tea.  '  I  have  a  bit  of  a  note  from  Mr  Macfarlane 
to  say  he  and  his  daughter  will  likely  be  here  a  day 
or  t\vo  after  Christmas.' 

Bess  glanced  keenly  at  her  brother,  suspecting  his 
tone  of  studied  unconcern.  'That  is  fine  now,'  she 
said.  'Those  will  be  the  old  gentleman  and  the 
pretty  lass  that  visited  you  before  I  came  out  ? ' 

'  The  very  same — and  I  was  thinking,  Bess,  if  you 
were  to  ask  Miss  Macfarlane  to  spend  a  week  here 
it  would  be  a  bit  of  company  for  you — not  to  say/ 
he  added  with  a  smile,  'but  what  it  would  be  a 
pleasure  to  me  too.' 

'  And  it's  small  difference  it  would  make  if  you 
didn't  say  it,'  she  replied  drily.  '  I'm  very  willing  for 
my  own  sake  and  yours.  But  what  will  the  minister 
do  without  her?' 

'  He  has  to  go  on  yonder  to  Black  Dog  Creek,' 
said  Toland,  nodding  vaguely  towards  the  hills  at 
the  head  of  the  valley ;  '  but  in  a  fortnight's  time  he 
will  be  along  through  here  again.  Don't  you  think 
you  might  persuade  him  to  leave  his  daughter  with 
us  between  whiles?' 

'It's  a  fortnight  now,'  said  Bess,  laughing ;  ' but  a 
month  or  six  months  it  would  be  all  one  to  me.  I'd 
like  to  have  the  girl,  and  I'll  do  my  best  to  make  the 
minister  leave  her  here.' 

Toland  was  satisfied.  The  bush  began  to  seem 
quite  homelike  now  that  Bess  was  with  him,  adorning 
the  house  with  curtains  and  cushions  and  frillings, 
while  outside  she  had  gathered  round  her  the  fowls 
and  farmyard  animals  that  gladdened  her  heart. 

'  If  it  wasn't  that  any  moment  as  like  as  not  you'd 
find  a  snake  in  the  calf-pen,  or  a  possum  sitting 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  49 

grunting  on  the  hen-roost,  there  were  times,'  she 
said,  '  when  you'd  almost  forget  you  were  in  this 
outlandish  country,  and  imagine  yourself  in  a  real 
decent  farmyard.' 

With  the  house  growing  homelike,  crops  flourishing, 
and  the  prospect  of  a  visit  from  his  friends,  Toland's 
spirits  rose.  He  complimented  Bess  on  her  mince- 
pies  and  laughed  at  her  sad  tale  of  the  wombat  she 
had  glimpsed  that  evening  in  the  scrub  and  pursued, 
at  imminent  risk  of  garment  and  limb,  under  a 
momentary  impression  that  their  big  pig  was 
making  a  wild  dash  for  the  bush.  Australian 
animals  aroused  in  Bess  an  almost  indignant  con- 
tempt. '  It  was  bad  enough,'  she  said,  '  to  have 
creatures  with  ducks'  bills  and  fishes'  fins  that  didn't 
rightly  know  whether  they  were  beast  or  bird — not 
to  mention  that  some  of  them,  with  their  pouches  and 
things,  didn't  even  seem  sure  from  one  minute  to  the 
next  whether  there  was  two  or  one  of  them.' 

Since  she  had  seen  a  kangaroo  pursued  by  the 
dogs  calmly  disencumber  itself  of  a  'joey,'  which 
leapt  from  the  pouch  and  hopped  along  beside  its 
mother,  Bess  had  become  imbued  with  a  profound 
distrust  for  all  the  marsupial  tribe. 

Toland  read  her  scraps  of  news  from  the  paper 
after  tea,  while  he  smoked  and  she  knitted  socks  for 
him.  She  paused  now  and  then  to  figure  out  cal- 
culations on  the  market  prices  of  pigs  or  eggs  and 
poultry,  and  sighed  forth  an  occasional  '  Dear  !  dear  ! ' 
of  less  interest  than  disgust,  by  way  of  comment  on 
her  brother's  sonorously-read  descriptions  of  scenes 
in  the  great  drama  of  the  American  Civil  War.  She 
did  not  hold  with  late  hours,  and  Toland  still  sat  on 
reading  and  smoking  long  after  she  was  in  bed. 

D 


So  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

Indulging  in  holiday  lateness,  brother  and  sister 
were  sitting  down  to  an  eight-o'clock  breakfast  on 
the  following  morning  when  Scott  appeared  in  the 
doorway,  his  ruddy  face  wreathed  in  smiles. 

'  It's  a  snug  little  cot  you're  making  this,  Miss 
Toland,'  he  said,  taking  the  place  promptly  laid  for 
him,  after  Christmas  greetings  had  been  exchanged. 
'  Jack  here's  a  lucky  chap  to  have  such  a  sister.' 

'  Do  you  hear  that,  John  ?  Isn't  that  what  I'm 
always  telling  you  ? '  laughed  Bess,  not  displeased. 

'  And  am  I  ever  disputing  it  with  either  of  you  ? 
I'm  glad  you've  come  to  make  a  day  of  it,  George.' 

'  You  bet,'  answered  Scott,  with  his  mouth  full  of 
eggs  and  bacon.  '  What  mortal  thing  is  there  to  do 
below?  Sports  and  drink  in  Tongalong  —  drink 
without  the  sports,  barrin'  maybe  a  fight  or  two,  at 
Mallock's  shanty.  Give  me  a  good  ride  and  a  good 
breakfast — not  to  mention  the  best  of  good  company 
at  the  end  of  it.' 

'  Well,  we're  right  glad  to  see  you  any  ways.  Take 
some  more  tea,  Mr  Scott,'  said  Bess,  avoiding  the 
meaning  glance  which  specialised  the  good  company. 
Toland  was  no  less  aware  than  she  of  Scott's  liking, 
which  grew  more  evident  with  each  of  the  Sunday 
visits — good  evidence  in  themselves,  since  they  had 
occurred  only  since  Bess's  arrival,  and  thenceforward 
with  unfailing  regularity.  It  was  in  the  nature  of 
things  that  he  should  lose  his  sister  some  day,  and 
Toland  contentedly  watched  events  which  made  it 
probable  that  she  would  go  not  far  and  into  good 
hands.  He  took  himself  off  after  breakfast.  The 
pigs  must  be  fed,  and  a  bit  of  wood  and  water  got  in 
though  it  was  a  holiday.  Then  they  could  have  a 
pipe  and  '  look  round.' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  51 

Toland  felt  some  slight  surprise  that  Scott's  horse 
was  not  with  his  own  in  the  little  house  paddock, 
when,  from  behind  a  clump  of  wattles  by  the  creek, 
he  noticed  the  flick  of  an  unfamiliar  tail,  and  walked 
down  to  investigate.  The  owner  of  the  tail  proved 
to  be  a  well-set-up,  iron-grey  pony,  caparisoned  in  a 
bran  new  side  saddle,  gay  with  stitching  and  leather 
work,  a  scarlet  saddle-cloth  embroidered  with  yellow, 
and  a  double-reined  bridle  with  blue  forehead  band, 
tassels  and  rosettes.  Beside  the  pony  stood  Scott's 
own  bay,  and  as  Toland  remembered  a  self-satisfied 
mystery  in  Scott's  manner  at  breakfast,  the  situation 
explained  itself.  Things  had  gone  further  than  he 
thought ;  for  Scott,  he  reflected  without  ill-nature, 
was  not  a  man  to  give  anything  for  nothing,  and  this 
handsome  present  was  either  evidence  of  success 
with  his  sister,  or  a  bold  bid  for  it.  Not  wishing  to 
spoil  the  secret,  Toland  crossed  the  creek  for  a  stroll 
among  the  maize,  and  on  his  return,  Scott  and  Bess, 
galloping  over  the  paddock,  nearly  rode  him  down 
at  the  kitchen  door.  Bess  was  radiant  with  pleasure. 
Her  bright  hair  fell  in  picturesque  confusion  about 
her  cheeks,  and  in  the  hatless,  daringly  skirtless  con- 
dition induced  by  impatience  to  mount  her  new 
property,  there  was  no  trace  of  her  usual  housewifely 
staidness. 

'  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  Christmas  box  ? '  she 
cried.  'Mr  Scott  brought  him  —  saddle  and  bridle 
and  all: — for  my  very  own !  And  I've  been  too 
excited  to  half  thank  him  yet' 

Toland  manifested  due  surprise,  thanked  Scott  and 
congratulated  his  sister,  concluding  drily,  '  And  a  habit 
skirt,  my  dear,  you'd  find  more  comfortable,  not  to 
say  becoming.' 


52  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  Gracious  goodness  !  I'd  no  notion,'  she  laughed, 
suddenly  aware  of  much  well-filled  stocking,  and  glad 
that  Scott  rode  upon  the  other  side.  '  Lift  me  down, 
Jack.' 

Reluctantly  consenting  to  postpone  the  ride  she 
longed  for  till  the  horses  were  spelled,  Bess  accom- 
panied the  men  in  a  walk  of  inspection  till  the  cares 
of  dinner  called  her  home  again.  However,  in  a  half- 
hour's  gallop  through  the  timber,  behind  an  old  man 
kangaroo  and  Scott's  dogs,  in  the  afternoon,  she 
covered  more  ground  and  acquired  more  stiffness  than 
in  her  longest  ride  on  the  old  roan  cob  that  had 
ambled  with  her  down  the  north  country  lanes,  almost 
as  far  back  as  she  could  remember.  She  rode  fear- 
lessly and  awkwardly,  keeping  her  brother  in  constant 
anxiety,  and  thoroughly  enjoying  herself. 

They  reached  home  without  accident,  bringing  with 
them  a  kangaroo  tail  for  soup ;  and  after  an  evening 
spent  in  talk,  Bess  went  off  tired  to  bed,  wonderingly 
conscious  that  this  queer  Christmas  Day  had  been  one 
of  the  happiest  she  had  ever  spent. 

Scott  took  his  departure  at  six  o'clock  next  morning, 
and  the  Tolands  started  again  on  their  daily  routine 
of  farm  work.  John's  first  task  was  to  scare  predatory 
cockatoos  from  his  maize,  on  which  the  young  cobs 
were  just  forming.  Then  he  hunted  up  the  cows, 
usually  from  the  furthest  corner  of  his  two-hundred- 
acre  paddock,  chopped  wood  and  filled  the  water 
barrel  for  the  day,  while  Bess  attended  to  housework 
and  breakfast.  After  that  he  went  out  to  ring  the 
green  timber  that  kept  the  sunlight  from  sweetening 
the  grass,  and  his  sister,  in  times  free  of  bread  and 
butter  making,  and  other  household  duties,  tended 
the  garden  Toland  had  enclosed  near  the  house,  hoe- 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  53 

ing  or  digging,  and  bringing  buckets  of  water  from 
the  creek  for  the  tomatoes,  melons  and  cucumbers 
that  were  her  especial  care. 

On  New  Year's  Eve  the  Macfarlanes  arrived,  and 
Toland  noticed  with  pleasure  the  well-stuffed  valise 
hung  by  Ruth's  saddle,  which  promised  that  want  of 
clothes,  at  least,  would  not  prevent  her  remaining  for 
a  time  at  the  farm. 

Mr  Macfarlane  won  Bess's  heart  at  once  by  saying 
that  he  had  heard  so  much  of  her  from  her  brother 
that  he  felt  they  were  quite  old  friends  already. 
Towards  Ruth  Macfarlane  her  attitude  was  more 
guarded.  She  was  as  yet  imbued  with  the  half 
hostile,  reconnoitring  spirit  which  actuates  women's 
conduct  towards  new  acquaintances  who  they  think  it 
possible  may  become  the  wives  of  sons  or  brothers. 
Accordingly,  though  polite,  she  was  not  effusive.  She 
studied  Ruth  carefully,  slightly  set  on  edge  by  certain 
little  refinements  in  dress  and  manner  which  rendered 
her  suddenly  conscious  of  deficiencies  in  her  own  ; 
while  Ruth  wondered  to  herself  how  it  came  about 
that  Toland  seemed  so  far  removed  from  his  sister  in 
the  nature  and  scope  of  his  ideas. 

Ruth's  sweet  disposition,  however,  soon  imposed  its 
charm  on  the  older  woman.  Bess  half  reluctantly 
admitted  to  herself  that  Ruth  '  put  on  no  side.'  Un- 
willingness to  disappoint  John  induced  her  to  be 
gracious  ;  and  gradually,  as  constraint  wore  off,  the 
essential  kindliness  and  common  sense  of  both  girls 
led  them  into  mutual  liking,  so  that,  before  the 
minister  read  evening  prayers,  it  was  a  genuinely- 
pressing  invitation  that  Bess  gave  to  Ruth  to  remain 
at  the  farm  while  Mr  Macfarlane  went  on  to  Black 
Dog  Creek. 


54  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  I  should  like  it  very  much,'  answered  Ruth,  '  if 
my  father  can  do  without  me  till  he  comes  back.' 

The  minister  turned  the  leaves  of  his  Bible  in 
search  of  the  chapter  for  the  day,  and  said  he  would 
consider  the  matter.  Apparently  he  had  been  con- 
sidering it  during  prayers,  for  at  their  close  he  said 
he  would  persuade  himself  to  part  with  his  little  girl 
for  a  time,  feeling  sure  that  he  was  leaving  her  in 
good  hands.  So  the  matter  was  settled  and  Bess 
took  Ruth  off  to  her  room,  which  they  were  to  share, 
while  Toland  and  the  minister  remained  to  discuss 
the  crops  and  the  war  over  a  final  pipe  and  bottle  of 
whisky,  produced  by  Toland  with  hesitation  which 
proved  quite  needless. 

The  dawn  broke  in  a  cloudless  sky  with  promise  of 
January  heat.  Scott  had  made  an  early  start,  as  on 
the  Christmas  Day  visit,  and  it  was  quite  a  large  party 
that  sat  down  to  breakfast  on  New  Year's  morning. 
A  picnic  to  explore  the  creek  and  gather  fern  roots 
for  Bess's  garden  occupied  most  of  the  day.  The 
minister  had  decided  that  he  need  not  push  on  to 
Black  Dog  Creek  till  the  morrow — a  blessing  which 
scarcely  inspired  George  Scott  with  due  thankfulness, 
for  Mr  Macfarlane  was  an  enthusiast  about  ferns  and 
dilated  to  Bess  upon  the  different  varieties — maiden 
hair,  stag  horn,  coral  fern,  etc. — and  their  old  country 
prototypes.  He  found  time  also  to  display  much 
intelligent  interest  in  Scott's  farm,  and  gave  him 
many  valuable  hints,  for  which  Scott  thanked  him — 
in  words — with  envious  eyes  all  the  time  on  Toland 
and  Ruth,  who  wandered  ahead  or  lagged  behind, 
talking,  he  fancied,  of  things  more  interesting  than 
botany. 

The  sun  was  hot,  and  with   due  respect  for  the 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  55 

thermometer  at  ninety  in  the  shade,  the  party  chose 
for  their  walk  the  creek  bed,  where  sparkling  water 
flowed  in  a  narrow  stream  through  an  arching  thicket 
of  musk  and  hazel.  Here  and  there  were  deep  pools 
to  skirt,  but  for  the  greater  part  of  the  way  the 
channel  that  ran  full  in  winter  formed  a  pathway, 
and  they  wandered  contentedly  along  it.  Toland  shot 
a  tiger  snake  sunning  himself  on  a  gravel  bed  in 
the  open ;  also  a  couple  of  Wanga  pigeons  that 
Macfarlane  excitedly  pointed  out  in  a  tall  wattle; 
and  these,  with  a  basket  of  fern  roots,  were  material 
trophies  of  the  expedition. 

Sitting  long  after  their  luncheon  on  a  grassy  bank, 
they  discussed  experience  and  prospects  of  life  in 
Australia  and  Europe — a  subject  on  which  Ruth 
was  a  silent  listener,  feeling  herself  strongly  in  sym- 
pathy with  Toland's  vigorous  theories  of  manhood's 
destiny  and  claims,  to  which  her  father  gave  a 
qualified  assent  while  the  other  two  laughed  at  him 
as  a  dreamer. 

'  If  a  few  more  in  the  world  would  dream  as  I  do, 
it's  fewer  men  with  hands  and  brains  would  fret  their 
hearts  away  looking  for  a  job  to  do  while  their  little 
ones  were  starving,  or  worse — in  the  workhouse,'  re- 
torted Toland. 

'  I  think  so  too,'  ventured  Ruth,  timidly.  '  Surely  it's 
a  noble  dream  to  make  the  world  a  little  happier  for 
everybody;  and  I  think  it  must  come  true  some  day.' 

Toland  looked  up  gratefully,  and  Scott  chimed  in 
with  a  laugh,  '  Well,  Jack,  old  man,  I  wish  you  joy  of 
it.  Things  are  a  bit  wrong  in  the  old  country,  I 
know,  because  the  blessed  place  is  overcrowded — 
and  they  say  Free  Trade  is  ruining  the  farmers. 
But  here,  what  have  you  got  to  complain  about? 


56  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

There's  lots  of  good  land,  and  the  man  with  pluck 
and  go  gets  hold  of  it.' 

'Have  you  more  pluck  and  go  than  me?'  asked 
Toland,  drily. 

Scott  laughed  in  deprecation.  '  Hang  it,  don't  get 
riled,  man  !  I  had  a  bit  of  luck  of  course,  but — ' 

'  And  has  Harlin  and  that  scoundrel  Mallock 
more  pluck  and  go  than  either  of  us?  No — I'm  sick 
of  this  cant,  that  you  are  picking  up  like  the  rest, 
about  pluck,  and  energy,  and  foresight,  when  it's 
money  and  roguery  that's  parcelling  out  the  land  ! 
This  is  a  grand  country,  no  doubt.  You  and  I, 
luckier  than  some  poor  devils,  have  got  a  foot 
planted  in  it,  more  or  less,  but  mark  my  words — 
if  they  go  on  the  way  they've  been  doing,  with 
their  dummying  and  bribery,  there'll  be  men  as 
good  as  you  and  me  tramping  the  roads  in  rags 
before  many  years  are  out.  And  it's  a  crying  sin. 
By  God  it  is!' 

'John,  I'm  ashamed  of  you!'  interposed  Bess, 
severely.  '  I  thought  you'd  give  up  that  ranting, 
outrageous  talk  when  you'd  got  the  bit  of  land 
you'd  set  your  heart  on  so  bad — and  before  the 
minister,  too ! ' 

'  Stow  it,  old  man ! '  laughed  Scott,  with  a  little 
annoyance.  '  This  ain't  a  debatin'  society,  you  know. 
What  are  you  growling  at  now — on  your  own  land 
by  the  tinkling  brook,  all  among  the  pretty  birds 
and  flowers?' 

'Not  to  mention  snakes!  I'm  sure  I  heard  one 
of  the  slimy  beasts  near  me,'  added  Bess,  gathering 
her  skirts  closer  and  peering  suspiciously  into  a 
neighbouring  clump  of  bracken. 

'  There's  much  in  what  our  friend's  been  saying,' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  57 

summed  up  the  minister,  rising  ;  '  and  again,  there's 
much  on  the  other  side.  You'll  be  in  danger  of 
forgetting,  Mr  Toland,  there's  a  leemit  to  human 
effort.  "  For  the  poor  ye  have  always  with  you." 
We  have  our  Lord's  word  for  that ;  and  I'm  thinkin' 
that  word'll  aye  stand  against  all  man's  contriving.' 
He  shook  his  head  in  sorrowful  acquiescence  with 
the  word,  and  seeing  question  and  dissent  in  Toland's 
eyes,  playfully  tapped  him  on  the  shoulder.  'But 
it's  ill  work  to  be  disputing  on  the  first  day  of  the 
year,  in  this  lovely  spot,  with  God's  handiwork  all 
around  us.' 

Toland  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  was  silent. 
How  useless  it  seemed  to  argue  against  the  in- 
justice of  the  world  when  on  one  side  he  found 
complacent  acquiescence,  on  the  other  feeble  resigna- 
tion. His  heart  went  out  yearningly  to  Ruth 
Macfarlane,  for  he  guessed  from  her  eyes  that  she 
sympathised  and  understood  —  ignorant  she  might 
be,  but  she  could  feel  with  him  that  a  man  need 
not  be  blind  to  justice  because  he  had  been  forced 
to  snatch  what  crumbs  he  might  in  the  pitiful,  sordid 
scramble  ;  and  she  could  understand  that  the  clamour- 
ing voice  of  robbed  humanity  could  not  be  forever 
silenced  by  the  dreary  iteration  of  a  misquoted  text. 
Tempers  had  been  ruffled  by  the  breeze  which  spoilt 
the  pleasure  of  idling  longer  by  the  creek,  and  it 
was  no  use  saying  any  more.  With  some  constraint 
the  party  gathered  up  its  properties  and  started  on 
the  homewaro!  way,  Toland  again  escaping  from  the 
others  with  Ruth,  glad  that  she  seemed  naturally 
to  find  her  place  at  his  side,  and  aware  with  grim 
satisfaction  that  Scott  was  inwardly  cursing  the  old 
gentleman  who  found  his  society  so  congenial. 


58  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  Dad  and  you  would  not  get  on,'  said  Ruth, 
musingly,  after  a  long  silence. 

'Wouldn't  we?'  he  asked.     'Why  not?' 

'  Oh,'  she  said  with  a  laugh,  '  you  are  too — I  don't 
know  exactly  how  to  express  it — decided,  strenuous 
—you  go  to  extremes,  you  know.' 

'  If  you  think  a  thing  it's  not  much  good  to  half 
think  it,  is  it  ? '  he  asked,  smiling. 

'  No,'  she  sighed,  '  but  dad  thinks  there  is  much  to 
be  said  on  both  sides — moderation  in  everything — 
except  religion.  You  are  Church  of  England,  I 
suppose  ? ' 

1 1  suppose  so.' 

She  looked  at  him  with  raised  eyebrows.  '  If  that 
is  your  view  of  it,  you  and  he  would  certainly  not  get 
on,'  she  said  seriously. 

'  I'm  sorry,'  he  answered,  half  wishing  that  he  were 
a  good  Presbyterian,  and  vaguely  wondering  if  Ruth 
could  realise  of  what  importance  friendly  relations 
with  her  father  might  mean  to  him.  Apparently 
not.  Her  manner  suggested  that  she  regarded  the 
subject  as  of  quite  impersonal  interest,  and  presently 
she  changed  it,  telling  him  incidents  of  her  ride, 
and  sketching  portraits  of  some  of  the  parishioners 
at  Black  Dog  Creek.  Soon  they  reached  the  cottage 
door.  The  others  were  not  far  behind,  and  Toland 
went  after  his  cows,  which  regarded  not  high  day 
or  holiday. 

Toland  was  silent  during  the  evening,  letting  the 
minister  do  most  of  the  talking,  and  the  old  man 
made  an  early  start  in  the  morning,  departing  in 
high  good  humour  with  everybody.  Scott  was  de- 
voutly thankful  to  see  his  back,  and  immediately 
announced  his  intention  of  remaining  over  Sunday. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  59 

It  only  meant  the  loss  of  a  broken  day's  work,  and 
no  doubt  he  could  be  of  use  to  Toland  in  more 
ways  than  one.  Toland,  smiling  to  himself,  agreed, 
and  Scott  did  shoulder  an  axe  and  spent  the  morn- 
ing with  him  ringing  the  grazing  paddock,  but  in 
the  afternoon  discovered  that  there  was  a  hard  patch 
to  dig  in  the  garden  which  was  beyond  Miss  Toland's 
power. 

In  the  evening  the  seats  on  the  verandah  seemed 
automatically  to  arrange  themselves  in  pairs,  and 
there  were  late  hours  in  the  house  that  night  since 
the  following  day  would  be  Sunday.  When  it  came 
the  four  of  them  rode  round  the  boundary  fence,  and 
Ruth's  conscience  sometimes  raised  the  point  whether 
her  father  would  approve  of  the  two-and-two  arrange- 
ment of  the  party,  or  indeed  of  a  Sunday  ride  at  all 
for  such  a  worldly  purpose  as  inspecting  cattle.  But 
she  enjoyed  it,  and  she  might  fairly  have  dismissed 
the  business  aspect  of  the  expedition  from  her  mind, 
for  when  Toland  did  chance  upon  a  few  head  of  his 
scattered  mob  his  thoughts  seemed  otherwhere,  and 
he  scarcely  took  the  trouble  to  look  at  them. 


CHAPTER  VI 

WITH  each  day  of  her  visit  Ruth  Macfarlane  grew 
more  at  home  at  Grimsby  Farm,  she  and  Bess 
discovering  that  they  had  much  in  common,  and 
that  though  their  ideas  parted  company  when  they 
soared  beyond  the  practical,  there  was  in  everyday 
matters  of  house  and  garden  an  ample  field  for 
congenial  intercourse.  Toland  read  to  them  some- 
times, which  rather  bored  Bess;  but  she  could  see 
that  Ruth  liked  it,  and  it  was  easy  to  doze  or  let  her 
thoughts  drift  to  more  interesting  people  than  the 
Lady  of  the  Lake  or  Marmion.  In  fact,  the  living, 
commonplace  Scott  not  far  away  was  more  often  in 
her  mind  at  such  times  than  any  of  his  great  name- 
sake's creations. 

In  the  day-time  Toland  saw  little  of  the  women, 
for  he  stuck  conscientiously  to  his  work,  to  which  new 
hopes  gave  an  added  zest  and  spur,  for  he  knew, 
before  Ruth  had  been  at  the  farm  a  week,  that  his 
early  admiration  and  liking  had  grown  into  a  love, 
the  strength  of  which  could  not  be  measured,  while 
there  was  nothing  to  arrest  its  even  course.  And 
wherever  he  was  upon  his  farm,  hilling  up  the 
potatoes,  cutting  suckers  from  the  maize,  or  working 
at  his  clearing,  all  his  thoughts  were  of  Ruth,  or  at 
least  only  radiated  from  her  to  other  things  to  which 
her  existence  gave  a  newly  vast  importance. 

His  financial  position  and  prospects  especially 
60 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  61 

called  for  much  consideration,  for  he  guessed  they 
would  weigh  heavily  with  the  minister.  Of  the 
money  with  which  he  had  sailed  from  England  over 
£100  remained  to  his  credit  in  the  bank  at  Tongalong. 
The  rest  had  gone  in  various  ways — personal  outfit 
and  passage  money ;  nearly  £100  in  the  fees  and 
first  of  the  annual  payments  for  his  land  ;  another  £50 
in  the  house  and  scrap  of  furniture ;  the  balance  in 
living  expenses,  wages,  stock  and  implements. 

He  lived  economically  and  spent  nothing  in  wages 
during  the  summer  months,  for  while  the  ground  lay 
baked  like  a  brick  it  would  be  waste  of  money  to 
keep  men  at  the  clearing,  with  which  he  was  so 
anxious  to  proceed.  However,  he  did  a  little  himself; 
and  as  each  hardly-conquered  tree  came  crashing 
down,  Toland  wiped  the  sweat  from  his  brow  with  a 
sigh,  trying  to  picture  the  time  when  the  wilderness 
of  straight  boles,  throwing  not  even  a  shadow,  save 
where  the  sunlight  beat  in  speckled  patches  through 
the  overspreading  boughs,  should  have  vanished  and 
given  place  to  waving  fields  of  corn.  To  take  down 
one  tree  when  there  were  so  many  left  seemed  hardly 
worth  the  labour,  and  the  echo  of  its  fall  sounded 
like  a  mocking  laugh  from  the  thousand  trunks 
surrounding.  Then,  with  a  smile  at  such  coward 
fancies,  he  would  shovel  back  the  earth  into  the  hole 
he  had  dug,  and  swing  his  pick  about  the  roots  of 
the  next  tree  that  was  to  follow. 

There  was  encouragement  in  the  thought  that 
after  next  winter's  rains  he  might  afford  to  put  on  a 
couple  of  men  at  the  grubbing,  and  that  in  the 
softened  ground  one  man  could  do  more  than  twice 
his  present  daily  work — six  times  as  much  he  might 
count  on  altogether  as  he  was  doing  then.  Even 


62  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

that  did  not  amount  to  very  much ;  and  besides,  there 
would  be  ploughing  and  fencing  to  attend  to,  rainy 
days  when  they  could  do  no  work  at  all,  and  after 
the  grubbing  all  the  timber  must  be  burnt  before  the 
ground  would  be  clear. 

So,  almost  against  his  will,  he  pursued  the  inter- 
minable calculation  that  never  would  bring  out  a 
large  enough  result,  until  at  the  close  of  a  day  of 
muscular  toil  he  found  himself  quite  brain  weary. 
Sometimes  he  would  direct  his  mental  arithmetic  upon 
simpler  problems — the  profit  on  his  young  cattle  if 
he  sold  them  next  month  at  so  much  per  head  or 
kept  them  for  another  year  to  put  so  much  more 
beef  on  them;  the  return  from  his  maize  at  four 
shillings  a  bushel  and  forty  bushels  to  the  acre,  as 
against  more  bushels  of  varying  numbers  and  prices 
less  by  a  penny,  twopence,  and  so  on — until  his 
mind  was  stored  like  a  ready  reckoner  with  all 
possible  and  impossible  pecuniary  results  of  his 
maize  crop. 

The  maize,  with  its  rich,  green  leaves  and  swelling 
cobs,  was  dear  to  him,  not  only  as  an  evidence  of  work 
done  and  more  to  follow,  but  because  amongst  its 
stately  rows  were  passed  some  of  his  happiest  hours. 
Ruth  would  sometimes  accompany  him  when  he  was 
hilling  up  the  plants,  soothingly  appreciative  of  the 
skill  with  which  he  and  his  draught  horse  manoeuvred 
the  Hornsby  plough  in  the  narrow  track,  throwing  a 
straight  black  furrow  on  either  side  the  stems  to  feed 
the  over-ground  rootlets.  Sometimes  she  would  run 
forward  to  lift  a  straying  pumpkin  vine  out  of  danger. 
Once  she  laughingly  declared  that  Charlie,  the  horse, 
went  straight  of  his  own  accord,  and  insisted  upon 
taking  the  plough  handles.  Charlie  might  have  gone 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  63 

straight  but  that  she  tripped,  pulled  the  off  rein  and 
let  the  handle  go,  with  the  result  that,  before  Toland 
could  put  her  on  her  feet  again,  half  a  chain  of  the 
row  was  broken  down  or  uprooted ;  and,  concluding 
that  all  was  not  as  it  should  be,  Charlie  had  stopped 
to  consider  the  position  and  munch  a  fat,  green  cob 
temptingly  near  his  nose.  Ruth  did  not  plough  any 
more,  but,  useful  or  a  hindrance,  Toland  found  her 
company  equally  delightful,  and  in  his  eyes  there  was 
no  picture  so  charming  as  Ruth  waiting  to  meet  him 
in  the  leafy  alley,  the  pinks  and  whites  of  her  frock 
and  sun-bonnet  contrasting  with  the  rich  black  of 
the  soil  and  the  green  of  the  maize  as,  with  out- 
stretched hands  grasping  a  stem  on  either  side, 
she  laughingly  pretended  to  bar  his  way. 

It  was  an  idyllic  life,  and  mingled  with  his  hopes  of 
prosperous  independence  in  times  to  come,  Toland 
felt  that  no  material  success  could  bring  more  happi- 
ness than  these  too  fleeting  days  when  youth  and 
energy  were  at  their  height,  and  all  his  brightest 
dreams  before  him,  unrealised,  but  full  of  potential 
reality. 

Neither  had  Ruth  ever  experienced  anything  quite 
like  these  weeks  in  restfulness  and  simplicity.  Hers 
was  not  usually  a  life  of  ease,  burdened  as  it  was 
with  church  and  household  tasks  in  Tongalong,  or 
travelling  through  the  district  with  her  father. 
Sometimes  she  spent  a  few  days  at  Kumbarra 
Station,  where  she  enjoyed  the  comfort  of  wealth 
and  the  society  of  Mrs  Harlin,  who  was  only  two 
or  three  years  older  than  herself,  and  practically  her 
only  friend ;  but  even  at  Kumbarra  she  was  not 
entirely  at  her  ease,  for  she  was  aware  that  Mr 
Harlin,  whom  she  did  not  like,  only  tolerated  her, 


64  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

and  when  Melbourne  visitors  were  there  she  felt 
snubbed  and  out  of  it  in  a  dozen  little  ways,  as 
belonging  to  a  different  world.  It  was  an  entirely 
new  and  gratifying  experience  to  be  the  important 
person  in  a  civilised  household — to  be  petted  and  yet 
deferred  to  by  Bess,  who  recognised,  in  a  way  that 
flattered  harmless  pride,  her  socially  superior  stand- 
ing and  education.  She  found  a  girlish  pleasure  and 
excitement,  too,  in  Toland's  evident  devotion.  '  If  a 
selector  should  be  her  fate ! '  With  a  kind  of  nervous 
feeling  that  the  words  might  have  been  prophetic 
she  remembered  laughing  at  the  idea  of  such  a 
contingency  with  Mrs  Harlin.  Toland,  at  anyrate, 
was  entirely  different  from  any  picture  that  either  of 
them  had  formed  of  selectors.  Quaint  provincial 
turns  of  expression,  that  at  first  had  amused  her  or 
jarred  upon  her,  she  had  almost  ceased  to  notice. 
The  man  himself,  large  and  strong,  ideally  as  well 
as  physically,  imposed  himself  upon  her  thoughts, 
and  she  admired  him.  There  were  no  elegancies 
about  him,  but  no  littlenesses,  and  none  of  the 
vulgarity,  of  which  she  could  not  entirely  acquit 
Bess,  to  hurt  her  fastidiousness  and  blind  her  to 
his  essential  manliness. 

Thus  it  was  with  regret  almost  equal  to  that  of  her 
new  friends  that,  one  evening,  Ruth  opened  a  letter 
from  her  father,  who  wrote  that  he  had  returned  to 
Tongalong  and  hoped  to  call  at  Grimsby  Farm  on 
the  morrow  to  take  her  home.  When  the  morning 
came  Toland  could  think  of  nothing  but  that  this 
was  the  last  day  of  Ruth's  visit,  the  happiest  time 
he  had  ever  spent,  and  he  found  it  hard  to  tear 
himself  away  from  the  house  to  work  at  his  clear- 
ing, half  a  mile  distant,  on  the  flat. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  65 

A  big  peppermint  gum  had  resisted  all  his  attacks 
since  dinner-time,  and  at  half-past  four  was  still 
standing,  with  a  deep  trench  exposing  severed  roots 
all  around  it.  'Why  don't  you  come,  you  brute?' 
muttered  Toland,  throwing  all  his  weight  against 
the  undermined  tree.  For  answer  it  swayed  just 
enough  to  rustle  the  spreading  leaves,  and  showed 
to  his  experienced  eye  a  tiny  crack  in  the  bottom 
of  the  trench  near  his  feet.  Pick  and  shovel  soon 
laid  bare  another  root.  His  axe  rang  resonantly 
on  the  straining  wood,  and  as  the  last  tough  fibre 
was  severed  Toland  stepped  back  from  the  tree. 
With  the  creaking  and  snapping  of  a  hundred 
rootlets  it  relinquished  its  grip  of  the  soil,  stood 
tottering  for  an  instant,  and  then  with  a  swish  of 
spreading  branches  fell  headlong  over  the  bank 
of  earth  before  it,  flinging  its  great  butt  into  the 
air. 

'  At  last ! '  muttered  Toland,  aloud.  '  You  made  a 
tough  fight,  but  you've  gone  and  the  rest  are 
going.' 

He  turned,  hearing  a  laugh  behind  him,  and  saw 
Ruth  standing  there  with  a  basket  and  a  billy  in  her 
hands.  '  I  have  been  watching  you  for  the  last  ten 
minutes,'  she  said.  '  Do  you  always  look  so  fierce 
and  taunt  your  fallen  enemies  like  that  ? ' 

'  I  think  I  only  talk  to  the  toughest — out  loud,  at 
least.  Have  you  come  to  help  me  ? ' 

Ruth  smiled.  '  If  you  like,  to  encourage  you. 
Bess  was  making  a  cake  she  couldn't  leave  and 
asked  me  to  take  out  your  tea.  I've  brought  my 
own  too.' 

Toland  picked  up  his  coat  and  watched  her,  half 
blessing  and  yet  fearing  the  accident  that  had  kept 

E 


66  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Bess  at  home,  while  Ruth  sat  down  on  the  fallen 
trunk  and  opened  her  basket. 

'  Here's  your  pannikin,'  she  said,  glancing  up. 
'  You  look  worried ;  is  anything  troubling  you  ? ' 

'  No — I  was  only  thinking — the  same  old  thing — 
what  a  lifetime  it  takes  to  make  a  home.'  He  sat 
down  on  the  log  by  her  side  and  looked  at  the  great 
forest  before  him.  '  If  I  get  rid  of  five  trees  a  day 
and  there  are  a  hundred  to  the  acre,  how  long  will  it 
take  me  to  clear  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  ? ' 

Ruth  dipped  her  cup  into  the  billy  and  pondered, 
with  eyebrows  knitted  for  the  difficult  calculation. 

'  One  hundred  and  fifty  seven  years,  five  months, 
four  weeks  and  two  days,  or  thereabouts,'  she  said 
presently,  laughing.  '  It  seems  a  longish  time,  doesn't 
it?' 

'  Yes  ;  and  your  answer  might  just  as  well  be  right 
for  all  the  difference  it  would  make.  There's  only 
one  thing  would  make  the  time  seem  short.'  He 
checked  himself  and  turned  away  his  eyes  from  her 
face  as  hers  met  them  in  inquiry. 

'  What  is  that  ? '  she  asked,  looking  down  at  the 
ground  and  drawing  patterns  with  her  foot. 

'  You  will  learn  some  other  day  ;  I  cannot  tell  you 
now.' 

'  But  I  want  to  know,'  she  persisted. 

Toland  hesitated,  but  the  overwhelming  impulse  to 
tell  his  love  and  ask  for  hers  proved  stronger  than  his 
determination  to  say  nothing  till  he  should  have  her 
father's  consent.  Ruth  could  feel  herself  colouring 
beneath  his  gaze  as  he  half  turned  towards  her. 

'  I  almost  think  that  you  must  know  already,'  he 
said  slowly.  '  From  the  first  hour  I  saw  you  I  believe 
that  I  have  loved  you — you  have  filled  my  thoughts 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  67 

and  my  dreams  ever  since.  Every  day  it's  been 
harder  not  to  tell  you.  I  meant  to  speak  to  your 
father  first,  but  I  could  not  wait — not  even  till  to- 
night— and  now  I  have  told  you,  Ruth.  I  love  you 
with  all  my  heart  and  soul,  I  always  shall.  With 
you  beside  me — if  it  was  for  you — all  the  toil  in  the 
world  would  seem  just  a  bit  of  play.' 

Blushing  and  smiling,  Ruth  raised  her  eyes  again 
to  Toland's  face.  Aglow  with  the  ardour  of  hope 
and  love  it  magnetised  her  strongly,  and  the  quiet 
tones  vibrating  with  sincerity  and  feeling  made  these 
first  words  of  love  that  she  had  ever  heard  sound 
strangely  musical  and  sweet. 

She  did  not  speak  at  first,  and  Toland  rose  and 
stood  before  her.  '  Can  you  ever  care  for  me,  Ruth  ? ' 
he  asked  appealingly.  '  I  feel  you  must  have  known 
that  I  loved  you,  and  whatever's  the  answer  that  you 
give,  you'll  be  always  the  only  woman  in  the  world 
for  me.' 

Rising  almost  unknowingly  to  her  feet  she  held 
out  both  her  hands  and  leaned  away  from  him  when 
he  caught  them. 

'  I  might  have  guessed — a  little,'  she  said  timidly. 
'  And  I  am  proud — and  glad.'  Toland's  clasp  of  her 
hands  tightened  and  she  went  on,  smiling, '  I  think  I'm 
glad,  too,  that  you  spoke  to  me  first  after  all.  I 
wouldn't  like  anyone  else  to  be  told — all  that,  you 
know — before  me.' 

'  And  what  are  you  going  to  answer  to  it  ?  I  know 
I'm  not  good  enough  for  you — but  then,  who  is?' 

Her  eyes  met  his  for  an  instant,  saying  all  that  her 
lips  refused  to  say.  '  I  mustn't  give  any  answer  yet,' 
she  replied  softly.  '  When  you  have  told  my  father  ! 
— and  now,'  pulling  her  hands  away  from  him  with  a 


68  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

laugh,  'drink  your  tea  before  it  gets  cold.  I  must 
run  home  to  help  Bess  with  ever  so  many  things  in 
a  minute.' 

Toland  mechanically  did  as  he  was  bidden,  and  for 
the  few  minutes  that  Ruth  remained  with  him  he 
spoke  scarcely  a  word,  since  none  had  any  present 
meaning,  but  repetitions  of,  and  variations  on,  the 
forbidden  phrase — '  I  love  you.'  Instead  of  speaking, 
he  gazed  at  her ;  and  while  he  thought  he  had  never 
seen  her  eyes  so  bright,  or  such  colour  in  her  cheeks, 
it  did  not  occur  to  him  that  his  words  had  anything 
to  do  with  the  matter.  When  she  went  away  singing 
to  herself  he  picked  up  his  tools  again,  but  he  often 
paused  to  think,  with  his  foot  on  the  shovel,  looking 
vaguely  towards  the  house ;  and  when  the  evening 
shadows  told  him  it  was  time  to  return,  the  ground 
was  scarcely  broken  round  the  next  tree  condemned 
to  fall. 

Mr  Macfarlane  met  him  on  the  track  near  the 
creek  crossing.  The  minister  had  arrived  some  time 
before,  and  a  word  from  Ruth  had  made  him  not 
quite  unprepared  for  the  confession  into  which 
Toland  impetuously  plunged.  He  listened  gravely 
and  patiently,  walked  back  with  Toland  towards  the 
bush,  and  the  conversation  that  followed  was  a  long 
one.  Toland  had  to  go  exhaustively  into  his  money 
affairs  and  prospects.  The  minister  shook  his  head 
when  he  heard  how  little  cash  was  left,  but  he  thought 
well  of  Toland's  abilities  and  of  the  place  ;  while  Ruth 
had  little  in  the  way  of  worldly  wealth  to  enjoy  by 
remaining  with  her  father.  He  thought  nothing  of 
social  differences,  but  he  would  have  been  better 
pleased,  he  confessed,  if  Ruth's  affections  had  fallen 
on  a  wealthier  man  of  his  own  denomination  and  less 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  69 

radical  views.  However,  the  world  was  moving,  and 
he  would  not  stand  in  the  way  of  his  daughter's 
happiness.  Therefore,  if  she  returned  his  sentiments, 
he  would  give  his  consent  and  Toland  might  trust 
him  that  what  he  did  at  all  he  did  cordially  and 
with  his  whole  heart. 

So  Toland's  fears  were  set  at  rest,  and  he  felt  some 
compunction  for  his  hasty  judgment  of  the  old  man, 
which  had  overlooked  the  kindliness  softening  the 
sharp  lines  of  thought  engendered  by  a  narrow  age 
and  education. 

At  Poland's  request  nothing  was  said  to  Bess  that 
night,  and  he  and  Ruth  got  no  chance  for  a  word, 
but  their  eyes  signalled  each  other  that  all  obstacles 
were  removed,  and  in  the  morning,  before  she  and  the 
minister  departed,  he  strolled  with  her  down  the 
track  by  the  creek. 

There,  seated  on  an  old  log  beneath  the  black- 
woods,  he  told  his  story  once  more,  and  she  was  free 
to  answer  as  she  chose,  making  Toland  the  happiest 
of  men. 


CHAPTER    VII 

THOUGH  Bess  was  naturally  blessed  with  a  cheerful 
disposition,  nevertheless  she  often  found  the  hours 
pass  but  slowly,  and  had  fits  of  deep  depression. 
The  novelty  of  her  surroundings  was  wearing  off,  and 
the  effect  that  the  solitude  of  the  bush  has  upon  all 
but  the  native  born  was  making  itself  felt. 

One  afternoon,  about  a  month  after  Ruth's  visit, 
more  homesick  and  lonely  than  usual,  Bess  tried  to 
occupy  her  thoughts  with  needlework,  but  they 
wandered  away  to  scenes  of  her  girlhood,  and  tears 
stole  into  her  eyes.  Then  she  began  to  sing  an  old 
ballad  :- 

'  A  north  countrie  maid  up  to  London  had  strayed, 
Although  with  her  nature  it  did  not  agree ; 
She  wept  and  she  sighed,  and  she  bitterly  cried, 
"  I  wish  once  again  in  the  north  I  could  be. 
Oh  !  the  oak  and  the  ash  and  the  bonnie  ivy  tree 
They  flourish  at  home  in  my  own  countrie."' 

'  Yes,  they're  a  deal  better  than  these  great  wither- 
ing old  gum  trees  that  only  make  a  body  sad,'  com- 
mented Bess,  pausing  in  her  song  and  looking  out  of 
the  window  at  the  sapless  giants  that  surrounded  the 
cottage.  Then  she  continued  singing : — 

'  "  While  sadly  I  roam,  I  regret  my  dear  home, 
Where  lads  and  young  lasses  are  making  the  hay, 
The  merry  bells  ring  and  the  birds  sweetly  sing, 
And  maidens  and  meadows  are  pleasant  and  gay. 
Oh  !  the  oak  and  the  ash,"  etc.' 
70 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  71 

'  It'll  be  many  a  day  before  merry  bells  ring  in  this 
outlandish  place,'  she  sighed,  and  then  she  sang 
again : — 

'  "  No  doubt  did  I  please,  I  could  marry  with  ease — 
Where  maidens  are  fair  many  lovers  will  come, 
But  he  whom  I  wed  must  be  north  country  bred, 
And  carry  me  back  to  my  north  country  home." 

Bess  laughed  as  she  finished. 

'  Yes,  what  a  lot  of  lovers  I  might  have.  There's 
old  Mick,  and — ' 

Before  she  could  add  to  the  possibilities  there  came 
a  knock  at  the  door.  Bess  sprang  to  her  feet  and 
with  one  swift  motion  of  her  right  hand  performed 
simultaneously  a  dozen  functions — pressed  in  a  hair- 
pin, secured  a  stray  lock,  straightened  out  her  apron, 
and  altogether  prepared  herself  for  any  eventuality. 
Then  she  said,  '  Come  in.' 

The  door  opened  and  Scott  appeared,  resplendent 
in  costume  and  countenance,  self-important,  self-con- 
scious, and  with  his  intentions  writ  large  all  over  him. 

'  Oh,  it's  you,  Mr  Scott/  said  Bess,  with  a  becoming 
blush.  '  Won't  you  come  inside  ? ' 

'  Thank  you,'  said  Scott,  shaking  hands. 

'  Take  a  chair,  Mr  Scott' 

'  Thank  you,  Miss  Bess.  I  heard  you  singing,  and 
bein'  afraid  of  stoppin'  you,  I  stepped  up  quietly  and 
listened.' 

'  I'm  afraid  you've  missed  John,'  said  Bess,  to  gain 
time,  as  she  guessed  well  what  was  coming. 

'  Did  I  say  I  had  come  to  see  him  ? '  asked  Scott 
with  a  knowing  look,  and  with  what  was  intended 
as  an  insinuating  tone  in  his  voice. 

'  No,  you  did  not,  but  I  supposed  you  had,'  replied 
Bess  with  modest  untruthfulness. 


72  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  But  s'pose  I  had  come  to  see  you,  Miss  Bessie.' 

'  Is  there  anything  I  can  do  for  you  ? '  she  asked. 

Scott  hesitated  a  minute,  was  nearly  lost,  and  then 
plunged  in  bravely. 

'  Yes,  Bess,  you  can  promise  to  be  my  wife.' 

Bess  laughed  as  Scott  drew  close  to  her. 

'  And  what  would  be  the  good  of  that,  now  ? ' 

Scott  looked  taken  aback,  and  for  a  moment  his 
self-assurance  deserted  him,  only  to  return  on  the 
full  tide. 

'  Well,  if  you  married  me  you  wouldn't  sit  and  sing 
and  cry  by  yourself,  but  you'd  have  someone  to  sit  by 
you,  an'  comfort  you,  an'  kiss  you — like  this — ' 

'  Go  along  now  ! '  cried  Bess,  blushing.  '  Who  said 
you  might?' 

'  You  did.' 

'  Oh,  I  never ! ' 

'  You  looked  it,  then.' 

'  Well,  I  never ! ' 

She  looked  it  again,  so  Scott  kissed  her  again. 

'  You'd  better  have  a  care  John  doesn't  return,'  said 
Bess,  laughing.  '  He  nearly  killed  Squire  Jackson's 
son  for  once  doing  that  to  me  at  a  merry-making, 
not  meaning  any  harm.' 

Scott  cast  an  anxious  glance  at  the  door  and  for 
a  moment  felt  his  amorous  ardour  chilled ;  but  he 
quickly  recovered,  and  by  way  of  comment  repeated 
the  offence 

'  So  you'll  marry  me,  Bess  ?  '  he  said. 

'  I  will.' 

'  But  you  won't  want  me  to  take  you  back  home 
and  leave  the  best  farm  in  the  district  ? ' 

'  No,  lad.     It  seems  a  wee  bit  different  now.' 

So   they   sat    down    together,   and    although   the 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  73 

shadows  were  falling  and  the  gloom  of  night  ap- 
proaching, for  a  considerable  length  of  time  Bess 
felt  neither  lonely  nor  unhappy. 

'John's  home  late  to-night/  Bess  said  to  herself 
as,  after  Scott's  departure,  she  stood  in  the  doorway 
watching  for  her  brother.  She  felt  impatient  to 
break  the  news  to  him,  for  she  knew  he  liked  her 
lover  and  would  consent  to  anything  that  would 
increase  her  happiness.  Soon  she  faintly  caught 
the  sound  of  hoof-beats,  and  a  few  minutes  later 
Toland  rode  into  the  clearing.  He  let  his  horse 
go  and  came  up  to  the  cottage.  Bess  saw  at  a 
glance  that  he  had  a  moody  look,  and  divined  with 
a  woman's  instinct  that  now  was  not  the  time. 

'  Better  give  him  something  to  eat  first,'  she 
thought  to  herself. 

'  Been  lonely,  little  woman  ? '  he  asked  as  he  put 
his  hand  on  her  shoulder  and  walked  with  her  into 
the  kitchen. 

'  Not  very,'  she  replied  with  an  unperceived  blush, 
'  but  I'm  glad  to  have  you  back.  Hurry  up,  like  a 
good  old  fellow,  for  supper  is  all  ready.' 

During  the  meal  Toland  was  absorbed  in  his  own 
reflections,  and  to  break  the  silence  Bess  asked  him 
what  he  had  been  doing. 

'  I've  been  riding  after  some  steers  most  of  the  day 
that  had  broken  through  the  fence.  I  got  them  mak- 
ing back  towards  the  station.  By  the  way,  I  passed 
Mallock's  shanty  and  saw  that  old  fool  Mick 
knocking  down  his  cheque.  There  was  a  horrible 
row  going  on.  Harlin  has  just  paid  off  a  lot  of 
men  and  they're  pretty  well  all  there,  more  or  less 
drunk.  Like  a  fool  I  tried  to  get  Mick  away 
and  got  into  a  row.  A  rough  brute  of  a  fellow 


74  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

called  me  a  sanctimonious  cockie,  so  I  tossed  him 
on  his  head  and  left  them  trying  to  bring  him  round. 
Altogether  I've  had  a  beastly  day.' 

'There  must  be  something  else,  John,  for  that's 
the  sort  of  thing  that  generally  cheers  you  up.' 

'  Well,  now,  you're  right,  Bess.  It  wasn't  altogether 
that  that  was  worrying  me.  It  was  pretty  well  all 
about  you.' 

'  About  me,  John  ?     There's  no  need  for  that.' 

'  I  was  thinking,'  he  continued,  '  I  haven't  acted 
fair  by  you,  lassie.  I  got  you  out  from  the  old 
country  to  keep  house  for  me  in  this  wilderness, 
and  now  I'm  going  to  marry  and  bring  a  mistress 
to  the  place.  I'm  afraid  it  may  make  you  feel  out 
of  things,  though  Ruth  and  I  want  it  to  be  the 
same  to  you  as  ever.' 

'But  supposing  I  married  too,  John,  how  would 
it  be  then?' 

'  There's  few  good  enough  for  you,  Bess,'  replied 
her  brother,  smiling, '  and  I'm  afraid  this  is  a  lonely 
part  for  lovers  to  come  courting.' 

'  But  there  was  one  here  to-day,'  said  Bess,  boldly. 

'Who?' 

'  George  Scott  He  asked  me  to  marry  him,  and  I 
said  "yes."  And  you  have  to  say  "yes"  too,  John, 
dear.' 

John  said  nothing  but  lifted  his  sister  off  her  feet 
and  kissed  her  heartily. 

A  month  later  the  marriages  took  place  in  the 
little  weatherboard  church  at  Tongalong.  There 
were  no  bridesmaids  or  wedding  guests.  Neither 
did  the  fact  that  two  cockies  from  up  the  Tonga 
were  being  married  cause  any  sensation  in  the  town- 
ship. Yet  notwithstanding  the  simplicity  of  the 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  75 

ceremony,  Toland  felt  a  sensation  akin  to  awe  as  he 
stood  by  Ruth's  side  and  listened  to  the  words  that 
made  them  one  forever.  For  a  moment  the  glamour 
of  love  lifted,  the  roseate  hues  faded,  and  a  tremor 
of  guiltiness  ran  through  him  as  he  thought  of  the 
sacrifice  she  was  making,  of  the  burden  she  was 
taking  up  for  him.  Then  swiftly  the  fibres  of  body 
and  mind  strengthened  and  his  heart  swelled  to 
suffocation  with  joy.  Scott,  on  the  other  hand,  had 
no  misgivings.  He  beamed  on  Bess  and  she  on  him, 
his  only  care  being  how  not  to  let  his  delight  derogate 
from  the  importance  of  the  occasion. 

After  the  ceremony  was  over  the  little  party  sat 
down  to  a  merry  meal,  and  then  the  two  men  went 
to  get  their  buggies  and  their  wives  to  prepare  for 
the  long  journey. 

When  Toland  returned,  and  whilst  he  was  stowing 
the  baggage,  Ruth  had  to  face  the  ordeal  of  parting 
from  her  father,  whom  she  was  leaving  to  travel 
alone  the  road  they  had  trod  so  long  together  in 
happy  comradeship.  Consequently  there  were  tears 
in  her  eyes  and  some  remorse  in  her  heart  as  she 
waved  a  farewell  to  the  solitary  figure  on  the 
verandah,  whose  smiles  belied  his  feelings. 

During  the  first  part  of  the  drive  neither  Toland 
nor  Ruth  said  much,  their  hearts  being  too  full  of 
unwonted  feelings  for  topics  of  conversation  to 
suggest  themselves ;  but  Ruth's  eyes  showed  the 
love-lit  path  along  which  her  thought  travelled,  and 
the  exalted  yet  almost  stern  look  on  Toland's  face 
spoke  of  joy,  sobered  by  the  recognition  of  responsi- 
bilities incurred.  The  afternoon  was  hot,  dust  clouds 
rose  in  the  wake  of  the  buggy ;  the  hoof-beats  fell 
softly,  the  skirr  of  the  locusts,  a  whispered  word  from 


76  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Ruth,  with  a  guttural  answer  from  Toland,  alone  broke 
the  silence.  Then  later  on  they  talked  together  and 
built  such  air-castles  as  only  lovers  can.  The  sun 
had  set  when  they  reached  the  gap  on  the  hills  over 
which  the  road  runs  to  the  Upper  Valley  of  the 
Tonga,  and  Toland  was  glad  to  have  some  day- 
light left  to  show  him  the  dangers  of  the  track,  the 
descent  being  a  sharp  grade  on  a  narrow  side  cutting, 
with  the  hill  to  the  right  and  a  sheer  drop  to  the 
left.  They  reached  the  bottom  in  safety  as  the 
gloom  of  night  was  deepening,  with  ten  miles  of  a 
bush  track  through  heavy  timber  between  them  and 
home.  Soon,  however,  they  caught  a  glimpse  of  the 
moon  rising  blood-red  amongst  the  trees,  and  before 
long  her  rays  began  to  throw  bands  of  light  and 
dark  shadows  across  the  track.  Toland  had  to  drive 
even  more  carefully  now,  for  the  multitudinous  lights 
and  shades  made  everything  appear  mystic  and 
unreal.  Time  passed,  and  the  miles  that  separated 
them  from  their  journey's  end — the  resting-place  that 
was  to  be  theirs  for  life.  The  moon  had  risen  ;  the 
everyday  world  had  disappeared,  shut  out  by  the 
trees  that  arched  themselves  overhead  in  a  lofty 
awning  on  which  the  dew  sparkled  like  diamonds 
when  the  night  winds  rustled  the  leaves.  In  front 
the  road  looked  like  a  dark  tunnel,  pierced  here 
and  there  with  shafts  of  light  that  turned  to  giant 
ghosts  the  white  gums  that  rose  on  either  side. 
Here  and  there  glimpses  could  be  obtained  of 
distant  ranges  rising  to  the  sky — huge  rugged  barriers 
against  the  outer  world,  mute,  impenetrable,  ever- 
lasting. The  gullies  that  they  crossed  looked  like 
fairy  dells,  the  fronds  of  the  fern  trees  sparkled 
like  jewelled  plumes,  the  trickling  water  seemed 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  77 

the  hushed  laughter  of  elves.  No  sound  of  life 
broke  the  silence ;  the  spell  of  some  enchantment 
seemed  to  lie  upon  the  forest. 

Then  Ruth,  herself  becoming  unstrung,  pressed 
closer  to  her  husband,  and  the  pressure  of  her  body 
broke  the  spell  for  him.  He  bent  and  kissed  her, 
and  with  that  kiss  fled  the  ghosts  and  the  spectres. 
What  was  the  wilderness  now  to  him  but  the  scene 
of  conquests  to  come?  The  gaunt  trees  were  his 
foes  and  he  was  to  lay  them  low.  He  lived,  and  they 
must  die  so  that  his  children  should  inherit  the 
ground  that  they  encumbered. 

He  began  to  sing  a  song  of  northern  lands;  he 
called  to  his  horses  and  cracked  the  whip  over  their 
backs ;  he  laughed  low  to  himself,  and  he  kissed  his 
wife  again. 

'We'll  soon  be  there,'  he  said  presently,  as  they 
reached  ringed  timber  and  the  boundary  fence  of  his 
selection.  '  It's  a  miserable  home  to  bring  you  to, 
Ruth,  on  your  wedding-day,  without  fire  or  light,  but 
it  couldn't  be  helped.' 

Ruth  smiled  and  pressed  his  arm. 

'  Never  mind  that,  dear.  It  won't  be  very  difficult  to 
light  a  fire,  and  it  will  be  so  nice  being  by  ourselves.' 

Toland  urged  on  his  horses,  and  they  soon  were  in 
the  home  paddock,  and  on  the  crest  of  the  rise  that 
overlooked  the  cottage.  There  it  lay,  softened  and 
picturesque  in  the  moonlight,  but  what  riveted 
Toland's  and  Ruth's  attention  was  the  smoke  that  rose 
from  the  kitchen  chimney,  and  the  light  that  shone 
from  the  window. 

'  Hang  it ! '  exclaimed  Toland,  angrily.  '  Whoever 
can  have  had  the  impudence  to  camp  there  whilst  I 
was  away  ? ' 


78  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Ruth  felt  almost  afraid  as  they  rattled  down  to  the 
enclosure  fence,  and  disgusted  at  the  idea  of  an 
intruder. 

Toland  jumped  out  when  he  reached  the  little 
garden  gate,  lifted  Ruth  down,  and,  followed  closely 
by  her,  strode  up  to  the  kitchen  door  and  flung  it 
open.  No  one  was  there,  but  a  fire  was  burning 
cheerily,  a  kettle  boiling,  a  pot  of  potatoes  stood  on 
the  hearth,  the  table  was  set  for  two. 

Toland  looked  round  in  astonishment  '  Someone 
must  have  done  this  for  us,'  he  said  at  length.  '  I 
wonder  who  was  so  kind  ?  Well,  you  had  better  fix 
things  up,  Ruth,  whilst  I  go  and  take  out  the  horses.' 
He  kissed  his  wife  a  welcome  to  home,  and  at  the 
same  time  a  tall  figure  unhitched  a  horse  from  amidst 
a  clump  of  wattles  not  far  distant  and  rode  away, 
muttering  to  himself, — 

'  I've  always  been  saying,  "  this  is  no  place  for  a 
woman  body." ' 


CHAPTER   VIII 

THE  first  autumn  and  winter  of  Toland's  marriage 
were  happy  and  busy  seasons.  Mick  M'Larty,  again 
in  occupation  of  his  hut,  helped  to  build  the  maize 
bins  in  which  were  heaped  piles  of  splendid  cobs,  all 
picked  and  carted  in  before  the  end  of  May.  Ruth 
assisted  in  the  work,  delighting  in  the  rich  harvest  as 
she  stripped  the  husks  from  the  golden  core;  and 
later,  on  days  of  pouring  rain,  when  the  maize  sheller 
rattled  in  the  shed  from  daylight  till  dark,  she  often 
made  her  husband  dismiss  Mick  to  other  indoor  tasks 
while  she  fed  the  hoppers  and  his  untiring  arms  spun 
the  handle  of  the  machine. 

Deep  ruts,  worn  by  the  heavy  six-horse  waggons 
carting  away  his  crops,  marked  the  track  to  Toland's 
farm,  for  there  were  hundreds  of  bags  to  take,  and  his 
own  horses  were  kept  busy  at  ploughing  and  hauling 
the  logs  together  for  fires  in  the  new  clearing. 
Therefore,  jealously  grudging  the  heavy  tax  which 
distance  from  market  imposed  on  him,  Toland  paid 
carriage  on  the  maize  and  potatoes  and  stuck  close 
to  work  at  home. 

In  spite  of  all  drawbacks  the  future  looked  bright 
enough,  judged  by  the  standard  of  his  first  year's 
progress ;  and  it  was  a  proud  day  for  Toland  when 
he  opened  a  letter  from  his  agents  in  Tongalong  and 
drew  out  a  cheque  for  £120,  with  the  account  sales 
of  his  first  crop  on  Grimsby  Farm. 

79 


8o  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  We'll  be  quite  rich  people  soon,  dear,'  said  Ruth, 
her  eyes  growing  wide  with  pleasure  and  surprise. 
'  If  you  make  all  that  from  twenty  acres,  how  much 
will  you  make  from  the  whole  farm?  I'm  almost 
afraid  to  think  of  it' 

Toland  laughed.  'You  needn't  be  afraid,  little 
woman.  We  will  easily  find  a  use  for  all  we  get.' 

He  did  not  discourage  her  by  saying  that  there 
was  very  little  of  the  rich  creek  flat,  that  bad  seasons 
and  low  prices  would  come,  and  that  even  that  great 
cheque  would  be  swallowed  in  paying  his  instalment 
on  the  land,  wages  owing  and  the  storekeeper's  bill. 
But  she  saw  that  he  looked  thoughtful,  and  kissed 
him  affectionately. 

'  After  all,  John,  while  we  have  each  other  and  the 
home,  it  doesn't  matter  one  scrap  whether  we  are 
rich  or  not,'  she  said. 

He  agreed  that  it  did  not,  though  money  was  a 
good  thing  all  the  same,  he  said,  and  he  intended  to 
work  all  he  knew  to  get  it. 

The  time  slipped  by  like  magic,  each  day,  from 
dawn  till  dark,  filled  with  work  that  seemed  neither 
monotonous  nor  hard,  since  every  stroke  of  the  axe, 
and  every  new  furrow  turned,  gave  fuller  meaning  to 
that  wonderful  word  '  home ' ;  and  as  Ruth  followed 
the  plough  and  dropped  the  maize  seed  at  intervals 
in  the  new  land  that  he  was  breaking  up,  Toland 
could  scarcely  believe  that  a  year  had  gone  since 
Mick  gave  him  his  first  lesson  in  maize  sowing  on 
the  green  patch  beside  him,  where  the  wheat  stood 
two  feet  high. 

Such  occasional  light  tasks  were  all  that  Toland 
would  permit  his  wife  to  do.  He  was  not  going  to 
have  her  face  grow  weather-scarred  and  wrinkled,  her 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  81 

back  bent,  and  her  chest  flattened,  to  make  her  look 
like  other  women  down  the  river,  who,  scarcely  older 
than  she,  had  lost  all  the  softness  and  charm  of 
womanhood  in  their  dreary  round  of  toil.  Ruth 
laughed  and  said  that  she  couldn't  dig  potatoes  or 
chop  firewood  if  she  tried,  which  she  certainly  was 
not  going  to  do,  and  Toland  felt  that  he  had  in  her 
an  incentive  to  success  that  should  put  such  sordid 
needs  beyond  all  possibility. 

The  neighbours  thought  the  Tolands  a  little  '  stand- 
offish' and  proud — a  different  sort  altogether  from 
the  Scotts  down  below,  that  didn't  give  themselves 
half  the  airs  though  they  must  have  twice  the  money. 
Toland  accepted  the  position  philosophically.  He 
gave  himself  no  airs,  and  was  very  sure  that  Ruth 
did  not  either,  but  he  was  too  careless  of  what  others 
thought  to  go  out  of  his  way  to  please  anybody. 
With  men  from  the  other  farms  he  was  on  friendly 
terms,  and  sometimes  exchanged  visits,  but  Ruth  and 
the  women  did  not  often  meet,  except  when  they 
needed  the  advice  or  help  which  it  was  tacitly 
recognised  her  better  education  enabled  her  to  give, 
and  which  she  gave  ungrudgingly.  Thus,  though  a 
dozen  settlers  had  taken  up  land  between  himself 
and  Scott,  and  three  or  four  still  further  afield  in  the 
creek  valleys,  and  towards  the  head  of  the  river  where 
it  came  down  from  the  ranges,  the  Tolands  seldom 
set  foot  in  a  social  way  in  any  other  house  but  the 
Scotts'. 

Things  were  going  well  with  them,  and  Bess,  still 
cheerfully  scornful  of  Australian  animals  and  ways, 
adapted  herself  readily  to  the  latter,  and  got  on 
famously  with  her  husband  and  his  friends.  In  her 
house,  as  in  Ruth's,  was  a  sitting-room,  but  the  chairs 

F 


82  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

with  their  snowy  antimacassars  were  seldom  disturbed 
or  sat  on,  and  the  oleographs  in  leather  frames  scarcely 
needed  their  green  muslin  coverings  protecting  them 
from  flies,  since  it  was  only  on  rare  occasions  that  the 
blinds  were  pulled  up  and  light  let  in  to  give  the 
room  a  housewifely  airing.  Bess's  heart  was  in  the 
kitchen  ;  and  Ruth  and  John,  declining  to  be  treated 
as  visitors,  always  refused  to  leave  it  for  the  stiff 
discomfort  of  the  parlour. 

'  You're  a  born  bushwoman,  Bess,'  her  brother  said 
one  day  as  he  smoked  with  George  and  watched  her 
busy  herself  about  the  tea.  '  It's  a  different  kitchen 
to  old  Grimsby,  but  you've  got  it  comfortable  and  no 
mistake.' 

'  And  small  credit  to  me  if  I  hadn't ! '  she  replied. 
'  At  least  a  body  can  get  wood  for  a  fire  here  that 
would  make  people  open  their  eyes  in  the  old 
country.' 

The  fireplace  was  built  in  reliance  on  this  fact, 
accommodating  itself  to  logs  of  six  feet  or  more,  and 
constructed  on  the  usual  district  plan  of  slabs  lined 
with  stone  and  pipeclay.  From  a  blackened  sapling 
crossing  it  in  the  middle  hung  chains  for  water- 
fountain,  kettle  and  camp-oven ;  and  a  little  stool  on 
the  hearth  was  useful  to  anyone  desirous  of  sitting  in 
the  chimney  to  dry  damp  clothes  or  superintend  the 
cooking.  The  rough  mantelpiece,  whereon  a  mild- 
eyed  pair  of  china  dogs  flanked  a  big  Dutch  clock, 
was  bordered  with  a  fringe  of  pinked  leather  over  a 
deeper  fringe  of  coloured  paper.  Hams,  bladders  of 
lard,  a  bag  of  onions,  and  bunched  heads  of  amber- 
cane  drying  for  seed,  were  suspended  from  the  tie- 
beams  of  the  rafters.  A  shot-gun  and  Lancaster  rifle 
hung,  with  shot-belt  and  powder-flask,  on  one  wall 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  83 

beside  an  oleograph  in  a  smoke — blackened  moss 
frame.  Pictures  from  the  Illustrated  London  News 
covered  other  areas  of  bark.  Three-cornered  brackets 
carried  the  small  library  —  a  Bible,  prayer-books, 
Pilgrim's  Progress,  Book  of  the  Horse,  implement 
catalogues,  and  a  few  yellow  -  backed  novels.  A 
straw  basket  held  the  Melbourne  papers  for  a  week  ; 
on  a  nail  hung  a  torn  coat  of  Scott's,  in  suggestive 
proximity  to  Bess's  work-bag.  A  concertina,  a  flute, 
a  penny  whistle  and  a  Jews'-harp,  not  far  away, 
evidenced  Scott's  musical  taste,  and  the  length  of 
one  wall,  devoted  entirely  to  the  useful,  was  occupied 
by  the  dresser  and  shelves  for  pots  and  crockery. 
Pigeons,  in  perfect  amity  with  two  large  cats,  strutted 
about  the  floor,  indented  by  heavy-nailed  boots,  and 
showing  between  the  boards  interstices  filled  with 
hard,  much-swept  earth.  Altogether  the  kitchen, 
with  its  white  deal  table,  bright  crockery  and  multi- 
tudinous trifles,  was  a  comfortable  living-room,  satisfy- 
ing all  the  needs  of  the  Scotts,  who  looked  with 
friendly  contempt  on  Ruth's  tasteful  little  parlour. 

The  sisters-in-law  liked  one  another  and  met  when 
they  could,  which  was  a  gratification  to  Toland,  who 
feared  the  effect  of  loneliness  on  his  young  wife's 
spirits.  Only  this  fear  had  induced  him  to  give  a  re- 
luctant consent  to  her  spending  a  week  at  Kumbarra 
on  Mrs  Harlin's  invitation,  when  her  husband  was 
absent  from  home  looking  after  interests  in  New 
South  Wales. 

Over  this  invitation  had  arisen  the  nearest  approach 
to  a  quarrel  between  Toland  and  his  wife.  With 
glistening  eyes,  but  without  a  word,  Ruth  handed  him 
Mrs  Harlin's  letter.  He  read  it  frowning,  and  said 
bitter  things  of  Harlin  and  his  class,  finally  declaring 


84  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

that  he  would  not  let  Ruth  go  to  satisfy  the  patronis- 
ing curiosity  of  the  people  who  had  done  their  best 
to  ruin  him.  Ruth  with  difficulty  kept  back  her 
tears,  and  the  very  meekness  of  her  acquiescence 
roused  in  him  an  anger  of  which  he  felt  ashamed. 
She  ventured  no  further  than  to  remind  him  that  Mrs 
Harlin  had  always  been  her  friend,  that  she  and  Mr 
Macfarlane  had  often  been  guests  at  Kumbarra  be- 
fore her  marriage,  and  very  probably  she  should  meet 
there  her  father,  whom  she  had  not  seen  for  some 
time.  She  did  not  say  that  she  longed  for  a  change 
and  the  society  of  Mrs  Harlin,  which  satisfied  her 
as  that  of  good-hearted  Bess  could  never  do.  He 
felt  these  things,  however  ;  and  rebellious  and  sore 
as  he  was  at  the  idea  that  Ruth  should  owe  any 
pleasure  in  life  to  people  who  looked  down  on  him, 
and  whom  he  regarded  as  a  curse  to  the  country,  he 
was  too  fond  of  her  to  stand  in  the  way,  and  finally 
Ruth  went  to  Kumbarra. 

Mrs  Harlin  received  her  affectionately,  questioned 
her  with  sympathetic  interest  on  her  farm  life,  and 
pressed  her  to  come  again  when,  at  the  end  of  a 
week,  she  left  for  Grimsby  Farm. 

But  Ruth  had  found  that  her  relations  with  Mrs 
Harlin  were  subtly  changed.  There  was  a  feeling  of 
constraint.  Her  husband  was  seldom  mentioned 
by  either  of  them,  but  she  felt  that  his  people 
had  become  her  people,  and  proud  of  him  as  she 
was,  and  better  off  in  worldly  goods  by  her 
marriage,  she  recognised  nevertheless  that  she  had 
lost  caste  in  Mrs  Harlin's  eyes,  and  that  only  as 
an  exception,  by  no  means  to  be  made  in  favour  of 
her  relatives,  was  she  allowed  the  privileges  of  a 
friend.  The  thought  embittered  her,  and  caused  a 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  85 

little  scornful  amusement  too  as  she  proudly  com- 
pared John  with  Mr  Harlin.  It  was  a  relief  to  be 
back  again  in  her  own  little  house  with  her  husband. 
She  felt  that  in  future  only  his  friends  could  be  really 
hers,  and  understood  better  than  she  did  his  diatribes 
against  social  injustice  and  inequality. 

Mr  Macfarlane  never  failed  to  call  at  Grimsby 
Farm  when  his  rounds  brought  him  anywhere  into 
the  neighbourhood ;  and  when  it  was  possible  he 
spent  a  day  or  two  after  his  own  heart,  inspecting  the 
latest  improvements,  discussing  plans  with  his  son-in- 
law,  and  sometimes  even  substituting  for  his  clerical 
clothes  an  old  suit  he  kept  at  the  farm,  and  putting 
in  a  day's  work  at  the  clearing  or  in  the  harvest  field. 

Toland  cut  his  first  year's  wheat  with  a  scythe  and 
carted  it  all  to  Scott's,  to  be  thrashed  with  his  brother- 
in-law's  larger  crop,  since  the  thrashing-machine 
would  not,  for  any  sum  that  he  could  afford  to  pay, 
tackle  the  rough  roads  and  creek  crossings  on  the 
way  to  Grimsby  Farm.  Thus  his  distance  from 
market  handicapped  him  once  more — to  the  extent 
of  sixpence  a  bushel  on  his  wheat,  he  reckoned,  as 
compared  with  Scott's — but  the  crop  on  the  creek 
flat  yielded  well,  and  again  his  farming  operations 
showed  a  fair  profit. 

After  a  year  of  married  life,  during  which  two 
crops  had  been  harvested  and  much  building,  fencing 
and  clearing  done,  his  hundred  pounds  reserve  was 
still  intact  in  the  bank,  and,  happy  in  his  home  life, 
with  things  promising  fair,  Toland  was  more  content 
and  hopeful  than  he  had  been  since  his  first  attempt 
to  find  land  for  himself  in  Australia.  He  had  made 
few  friends  or  enemies.  Harlin,  whom  he  disliked 
as  much  as  a  type  as  an  individual,  he  very  seldom 


86  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

saw,  and  when  he  did,  for  his  wife's  sake  he  con- 
strained himself  to  speak  civilly. 

Nicholas  Mallock  was  the  one  man  in  the  settle- 
ment who  roused  in  him  a  violent  antipathy  which 
he  took  little  pains  to  conceal.  He  had  hated  him 
from  the  day  of  the  ballot,  and  discovered  nothing 
since  to  modify  his  opinion. 

Mallock  was  far  too  keen-sighted  a  man  not  to 
recognise  how  the  land  lay,  and  too  cautious  to  give 
the  least  sign  that  he  did  so ;  but  ever  since  he  had 
visited  Grimsby  Farm,  anxious  to  make  advances  to 
a  man  with  such  a  tidy  little  wife,  and  Toland,  re- 
strained only  by  the  instinct  of  hospitality  from  active 
rudeness,  had  taken  care  that  Ruth  did  not  appear, 
Mallock  had  treasured  a  grudge  against  him  which 
lost  nothing  by  keeping.  In  the  meantime  there 
was  no  reason  to  lose  Toland's  custom  at  the  store 
adjoining  the  more  substantial  public-house  which 
the  dummies'  cheques  had  reared  on  the  ruins  of  the 
shanty. 

Mallock's  fortunes  were  thriving.  Forty  per  cent, 
profits  at  the  store  brought  in  a  growing  income,  and 
already  he  had  advanced  a  few  loans  at  ten  per  cent,  in 
addition  to  overdue  accounts  for  goods  supplied,  on  the 
security  of  some  of  the  embryo  farms  that  most  took 
his  fancy.  One  selector,  whose  land  joined  his  own,  he 
had  bought  out  cheap  before  a  plough  had  been  put 
in  the  ground,  and  already  he  owned  over  a  thousand 
acres  as  the  nucleus  of  an  estate.  He  was  also 
friendly  with  the  member  of  Parliament  for  his 
district,  and  hoped  shortly  to  be  made  a  Justice  of 
the  Peace. 

Toland  had  not  expected  that  his  wife  would  ever 
go  to  Kumbarra  again.  She  corresponded  occasion- 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  87 

ally  with  Mrs  Harlin,  but  he  never  asked  to  see  the 
letters,  and  Ruth,  knowing  something  of  his  feelings, 
never  offered  to  show  them.  He  was  astonished 
therefore  when,  on  a  summer  evening  some  fifteen 
months  after  his  marriage,  he  found  at  the  post-office 
a  note  in  Mrs  Harlin's  handwriting  addressed  to  him. 
He  thought  at  first  that  it  must  be  for  Ruth,  but  on 
glancing  over  the  few  lines  found  that  they  asked 
him  to  do  the  writer  the  favour  of  calling  on  her  at 
Kumbarra  on  the  first  occasion  that  he  happened  to 
be  going  into  Tongalong. 

He  puzzled  over  it  during  the  ride  home.  '  Ruth,' 
he  said  gently,  noticing  how  frail  she  looked,  'can 
you  tell  me  the  meaning  of  this  ? ' 

She  coloured  as  she  read  the  note.  '  I  think  I  can 
if  you  want  me  to,'  she  said  appealingly,  'but  won't 
you  go  and  see  Mrs  Harlin  ? ' 

He  looked  at  her  in  puzzled  silence,  kissed  her, 
and  went  earlier  than  business  actually  demanded  to 
Tongalong,  calling  at  Kumbarra  on  his  way  home. 
Mr  Harlin  was  again  absent  and  would  be  so  for 
another  three  months.  Would  Ruth  come  to  stay 
with  her,  the  squatter's  wife  asked  Toland,  for  at  least 
a  portion  of  that  time  ? 

Toland  hesitated.  He  need  explain  nothing,  Mrs 
Harlin  continued  quietly.  She  knew  all  the  circum- 
stances from  Ruth.  They  had  been  real  friends,  she 
added,  and  she  was  sure  that  Toland's  pride  was  not 
of  the  kind  that  would  sacrifice  Ruth's  well-being — 
perhaps  her  very  safety — to  its  gratification. 

Toland  was  troubled.  He  felt  she  spoke  the  truth, 
and  yet  it  was  bitter  that  he  and  his  should  be 
tempted  to  accept  so  much  at  these  people's  hands. 
Sullen  and  hesitating,  he  said  something  about  being 


88  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

grateful  for  her  kindness,  but  there  was  self-respect 
to  be  consulted — no  need  to  accept  charity — and 
after  all  he  could  get  lodgings  for  his  wife  in 
Tongalong. 

He  would  of  course  do  as  he  wished,  she  answered, 
with  a  smile,  and  in  tones  not  free  from  sarcasm  ;  but 
she  thought  it  would  be  more  manly  to  put  his  wife 
first  and  his  own  feelings  second.  He  need  not 
suppose  that  she  had  any  desire  to  force  a  favour 
upon  him,  but  it  was  a  little  hard  on  Ruth  that, 
because  she  had  married  a  man  in  not  quite  the  same 
social  sphere,  she  should  be  cut  off  from  the  com- 
panionship and  help  of  an  old  friend  at  a  time  when 
she  needed  it  most.  If  she  could  forget  that  Toland 
had  insulted  her  husband,  surely  he  could  forgive 
him  for  being  better  off — or  at  least  not  carry  his 
resentment  to  the  length  of  sacrificing  his  wife  on 
the  altar  of  class  pride. 

Her  words  were  haughty,  not  altogether  just,  and 
they  rankled.  Still  there  was  truth  in  what  she  said, 
which,  allied  with  her  strong  personal  magnetism, 
conquered  Toland  in  the  end. 

Ruth's  pleasure  when  she  heard  that  he  had  ac- 
cepted an  invitation  on  her  behalf,  and  that  in  a 
week's  time  she  was  to  go  to  Kumbarra,  almost 
reconciled  him  to  the  sacrifice  of  his  pride ;  and  yet 
it  roused  a  galling  sense  of  inferiority  to  think  that 
his  wife  rejoiced  in  the  prospect  of  leaving  him  at 
a  critical  time  to  enjoy  other  companionship  and  a 
hundred  comforts  he  could  not  afford  to  give  her  in 
a  house  which  he  could  never  expect  to  enter  as  a 
guest. 

Thus  it  happened  that  Toland's  eldest  child  was 
born  at  Kumbarra,  and  the  first  time  he  set  eyes  on 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  89 

it  was  in  the  arms  of  Mrs  Harlin,  who  softly  brought 
it  out  from  the  room  where  the  mother  was  asleep. 
He  looked  at  the  child  in  silence.  Were  these  cursed 
squatters  going  to  rob  him  not  only  of  land  that 
should  be  his,  but  even  of  sole  property  in  his  own 
flesh  and  blood  ? 

It  seemed  as  if  his  wife  had  conspired  with  them 
against  the  independence  by  which  he  set  so  much 
store. 

These  jaundiced  thoughts  came  crowding  into  his 
brain,  and  only  in  a  dazed  way  at  first  he  saw  Mrs 
Harlin  with  the  baby  girl  in  her  arms,  and  her  boy, 
a  sturdy  little  fellow  three  years  old,  at  her  side, 
staring  up  at  him  with  solemn,  disapproving  eyes. 

Toland  did  not  see  his  wife  that  day.  They  told 
him  it  would  excite  her,  and  he  rode  back  to  his 
lonely  house  full  of  bitter  reflections — glad,  after  all, 
that  the  child  was  a  girl.  It  would  have  been  worse 
if  a  son  of  his  had  been  born  at  Kumbarra. 

But  when  Ruth  returned  to  him  happy  and  well, 
delighted  with  her  baby  and  constantly  sounding  the 
praises  of  Margaret  and  her  kindness,  he  said 
nothing  of  past  ill  feeling,  which  gradually  dissipated 
under  the  influence  of  wife  and  child.  He  had  not 
even  the  heart  to  refuse  when  Ruth  asked  if  she 
might  choose  Mrs  Harlin  as  one  of  the  godmothers — 
Bess  was  to  be  the  other — for  she  could  never  quite 
understand  how  he  felt  about  these  things,  and  he 
could  not  bear  to  disappoint  his  little  wife.  Thus 
Mabel  Toland,  so  named  after  Ruth's  mother,  began 
life  with  yet  another  tie  binding  her  to  the  mansion 
as  well  as  to  the  cottage. 

Harlin  thought  it  a  mistake  on  his  wife's  part  to 
take  so  much  interest  in  people  of  that  class,  and 


9o  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

rebuked  her  for  officiousness  in  terms  which  pro- 
voked from  her  curt  advice  not  to  meddle  with 
affairs  he  did  not  understand. 

Children  had  come  to  complicate  the  domestic 
economy  of  Scott's  establishment  as  well  as  Grimsby 
Farm,  for  three  months  before  the  birth  of  Mabel, 
Bess's  daughter  had  been  born ;  and  the  two  women 
visited  each  other  when  they  could,  comparing  babies 
and  offering  each  other,  from  the  depths  of  their 
ignorance,  much  wonderful  and  interesting  advice. 

Thus,  with  the  patter  of  baby  feet  and  sound  of 
children's  laughter  enlivening  their  homes,  the  young 
pioneers  worked  on,  seeing  each  year  new  faces  in 
the  district,  new  huts  nestling  amid  ringed  trees  in 
the  clearings,  creek  crossings  cut  and  swampy 
bottoms  'corduroyed'  by  the  Road  Board,  modest 
headstones  commencing  to  cluster  in  the  graveyard 
reserve  near  Mallock's  shanty — everywhere  around, 
on  their  own  farms  and  elsewhere,  the  signs  of 
civilisation  and  progress  and  decay. 


BOOK    II 

CHAPTER    I 

TOM  JOHNSON, a  neighbour  of  the  Tolands,  was  hoeing 
in  his  maize  crop  one  day  when  his  twelve-year-old 
boy  rode  up  with  the  mail. 

'  Got  any  letters,  Bill  ?  '  asked  his  father. 

'  No,  dad,  only  the  paper.' 

'  That's  good.  I  thought  I  might  have  had  another 
letter  from  that  lawyer  chap.  Chuck  me  the  paper, 
and  I'll  see  how  oats  are  selling.' 

The  boy  handed  him  the  Tongalong  Banner,  the 
new  sheet  circulating  in  the  district. 

When  he  opened  it  his  glance  fell  on  the  ad- 
vertisement column,  and  something  he  saw  made 
him  stagger. 

'  My  God  !  he's  done  it,'  he  muttered  hoarsely, 
and  dropping  his  hoe  walked  off  rapidly  towards  his 
hut  on  the  rising  ground  close  by. 

Bill  followed  silently,  wondering  what  had 
happened. 

Mrs  Johnson  was  putting  a  piece  of  salt  beef 
on  to  boil  at  the  open  fire  behind  the  hut  when 
her  husband  approached.  A  number  of  barefooted 
children,  apparently  about  the  same  age,  surrounded 
her. 

'  Read  that,  missis,'  he  said,  opening  the  paper  in 
front  of  her  ;  '  read  that ! '  ^ 

9* 


92  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  I'm  a  bit  out  of  practice,  Tom,'  she  said.  '  Read 
it  out  to  me.' 

In  a  husky  voice  he  read, — 

'SALE, 
'Bv  ORDER  OF  THE  MORTGAGEE. 

'Messrs  SALAMAN  &  CROUCH,  acting  under  in- 
structions from  the  mortgagee,  will  offer  for  sale,  by 
public  auction,  at  their  rooms,  Tongalong,  on  the 
3rd  inst,  at  3  p.m.,  the  farm  known  as  Tom 
Johnson's,  situated  about  8  miles  from  the  Kum- 
barra  P.O.  For  titles,  terms,  etc.,  apply  J.  MAC- 
NAMARA,  Solicitor,  Tongalong.' 

'What  does  it  all  mean?'  asked  the  woman,  with 
a  dazed  look  on  her  careworn  face. 

'  It  means  that  that  scoundrel  Mallock  is  going 
to  sell  the  place  over  our  heads.  Curse  him !  curse 
him  !  God  Almighty  blast  him  ! ' 

He  shouted  his  imprecations  so  fiercely  that  the 
terrified  children  slunk  away  round  the  humpy. 

'  Oh,  Tom ! '  wailed  the  woman,  miserably,  the 
truth  beginning  to  dawn  upon  her.  '  He  isn't  going 
to  take  our  bit  of  farm  from  us  ?  He  can't,  can  he  ? ' 

'  He's  going  to  sell  it,  the  paper  says,  because  I 
couldn't  pay  up  the  money,  and  we'll  have  to  tramp 
the  roads.' 

'  There  must  be  a  law  agin  it/  said  the  little 
woman,  trying  hard  not  to  sob.  '  It  ain't  nat'ral, 
after  your  workin'  so  hard  and  making  a  decent 
place  of  it,  another  should  get  it.' 

'  And  you  changed  from  a  girl  to  an  old  woman 
in  the  twelve  years  working  of  it,'  added  the  man. 
'You  oughter „ curse  me,  missus,  for  being  such  a 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  93 

fool.     Mallock  must   have   had   me   drunk   when  I 
signed  that  paper.' 

'  It's  not  your  fault,  Tom,'  said  the  wife,  trying 
to  comfort  him  in  spite  of  her  fears  and  her  misery. 
'  We  had  to  get  things  at  the  store  or  we'd  have 
starved.  We  tried  hard  to  live  on  kangaroo,  but 
couldn't  manage  it,  and  there  was  no  way  of  making 
money  then,  with  all  the  clearing  to  be  done.  But 
God  help  us,  what  shall  we  do  ? ' 

'  I  don't  know  at  all,  but  I  was  thinking  that  I'd 
ride  over  to  see  John  Toland,  who's  a  straight 
man,  and  have  a  talk  with  him.' 

'  Oh,  isn't  it  dreadful ! '  sobbed  the  wife,  '  the 
neighbours  all  knowing  about  it.  It's  more  than 
I  can  bear.' 

'  They'll  know  all  about  it  from  the  paper,  and 
I'm  not  the  only  man  about  here  Nick  Mallock 
has  his  hand  on,  and  Toland  might  see  a  way  out 
of  the  fix.  Bring  me  that  horse  you're  on,  Bill. 
I'll  go  at  once.' 

'  Have  a  bite  before  you  go ;  it's  near  dinner- 
time,' said  the  wife. 

'  I  couldn't  touch  it,'  he  replied,  as  he  lengthened 
the  stirrup  leathers. 

'  Come  back  to  me  soon,  Tom,  I  feel  kinder 
afeared,'  she  said  beseechingly. 

'  All  right,  missis,  I'll  be  back  soon — and  keep 
up  your  spirits.' 

Johnson  rode  away  and  his  wife  went  into  the 
little  cabin,  bare  and  comfortless,  but  still  a  home, 
and  sitting  down,  cried  from  grief  and  loneliness, 
whilst  the  children  stole  away  and  played  with  the 
kangaroo  dogs  in  the  bush. 

Johnson  found  Toland  hauling  logs  in  his  culti- 


94  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

vation  paddock,  and,  with  Mick's  assistance,  stack- 
ing them  in  huge  piles. 

'  Good-day,  Mr  Toland,'  he  said  as  he  rode  up. 
'  Doin'  a  bit  of  clearing?' 

'  Yes ;  I'm  getting  ready  for  a  burn  as  soon  as 
the  grass  is  safe.  How  is  that  maize  crop  of  yours 
getting  on  I  hear  so  much  about  ? ' 

'  Oh,  something  splendid.  It's  about  twelve  foot 
all  over.  It'll  be  the  best  crop  I've  had  yet.' 

'It's  a  good  piece  of  land  on  that  creek  flat,' 
said  Toland. 

'  It  is  that,  but  it  was  a  tough  job  clearing  it 
single-handed.  There  were  trees  eight  feet  through 
on  it,  besides  scrub  you  couldn't  walk  in.' 

'  Well,  you  have  your  reward  now,'  said  Toland. 
'  Yes,  I  suppose  so,'  said  Johnson,  doubtfully,  as  he 
remembered   with   a   pang   who   would   gather    the 
harvest  when  the  grain  was  golden  in  the  cobs. 

Then  they  talked  on  various  matters,  Johnson  all 
the  time  anxious  to  come  to  the  point,  but  thinking 
it  scarcely  neighbourly  or  polite  to  rush  into  business. 
At  last,  however,  when  many  topics  had  been  ex- 
hausted, he  said, — 

'Did  you  see  that  advertisement  in  the  last 
Banner  ? ' 

'  No,'  said  Toland.  '  I  haven't  got  my  mail  yet. 
What  was  it  about?' 

'  It  was  about  my  place.     It's  up  for  sale  in  a  week.' 
'  I  never  heard  you  were  selling  out,'  said  Toland 
in  surprise. 

'  I'm  not  selling  out.     I'm  being  sold  up.' 

'  By  Mallock  ?  ' 

'  Yes.' 

'  Damn  him  ! '  said  Toland. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  95 

'  To  hell,'  added  Johnson. 

'  I'm  real  sorry,'  said  Toland,  sympathetically.  '  But 
can't  anything  be  done  ? ' 

'  I've  just  come  over  to  have  a  yarn  with  you, 
thinking  you  might  see  a  way  out  of  this  fix.  When 
I  try  to  think  about  it  my  head  all  gets  muddled  up 
and  I  feel  kinder  sick  and  dizzy  like,  and  don't  know 
what  to  do.' 

'  Well,  I'm  no  hand  at  such  matters  myself,'  said 
Toland.  '  I  suppose  you  ought  to  see  a  lawyer.' 

'  Not  me,'  said  Johnson,  decisively.  '  They're  all  as 
great  rogues  as  Mallock  himself,  and  the  only  one  in 
Tongalong,  that  chap  Macnamara,  has  worked  this 
swindle  for  him.' 

'  How  much  do  you  owe  him  ?  ' 

'  Three  hundred  pounds.' 

'  I  suppose  you  haven't  been  able  to  pay  the 
interest  ? ' 

'  No,  it  isn't  that.  I  paid  him  fifteen  pounds  for  the 
six  months  only  a  short  time  ago.  He  wants  the  lot 
— that's  what  it  is.' 

'  Oh,  I  see,  the  mortgage  is  due.  By  Jove,  he  has 
the  whip  hand  over  you,  then.  What  are  you  going 
to  do  ? ' 

'  I  tell  you  I  just  don't  know.  There's  one  thing — 
the  place  is  worth  a  lot  more  than  three  hundred  pounds, 
and  I  suppose  I'll  get  what's  over  when  it's  sold.' 

'Don't  trust  to  that  anyhow,'  said  Toland.  'If 
Mallock  wants  the  place  he'll  fix  it  so  there  isn't  a 
bid  that  will  do  you  any  good.' 

'  Well,  I  want  to  stick  to  it  if  there's  a  way,  for  it's 
cruel  hard  to  be  chucked  out,  and  the  missis  have 
got  kinder  fond  of  the  place.  Most  of  the  kids  have 
been  born  there  and  we've  made  it  a  bit  better  every 


96  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

year,  and  it's  tough  luck  to  be  done  out  of  it  now,  by 
heaven  it  is  ! ' 

1  Couldn't  you  go  and  see  Mallock  and  find  out  if 
he'd  take  anything  to  give  you  an  extension  of  the 
mortgage,  so  that  you'd  have  time  to  try  and  raise 
the  money  to  pay  him  off?' 

'  I'm  afeared  it  won't  be  no  use,'  replied  Johnson. 
'  I'm  thinkin'  he  just  wants  to  collar  the  farm  now 
with  the  maize  crop  on  it.  But  it's  worth  trying 
though  I  don't  like  going  near  the  scoundrel.' 

'  I'll  go  with  you  if  you  like,'  said  Toland.  '  They 
say  "  Two  heads  are  better  than  one." ' 

'  I'd  be  right  glad  if  you  would,'  said  Johnson,  in  a 
relieved  tone, '  and  I'm  thinking  that  if  you  wouldn't 
mind  I'd  be  just  as  well  away,  as  I  know  I'd  just 
fire  up  and  spoil  things  ;  besides,  I'd  like  to  get  home 
to  the  missis,  as  she'll  be  taking  on  bad  about  it 
whilst  I'm  not  there.' 

'  All  right,  just  as  you  like,  and  I'll  gladly  see  if  I 
can  fix  up  anything  for  you  ;  but,  as  I  said  before,  I'm 
no  hand  at  this  sort  of  business  and  you  mustn't 
expect  much.  All  I  can  do  is  to  try  and  get  Mallock 
to  put  off  the  sale  to  give  you  a  chance.  I'm  afraid 
it's  a  blue  lookout,  as  his  one  idea  seems  to  be  to  get 
hold  of  land  by  fair  means  or  foul,  and  he'll  likely  get 
a  dummy  to  bid  to  the  amount  of  the  mortgage  and 
get  the  land  that  way.' 

'  Have  a  try  anyhow,  Mr  Toland,  and  you'll  have 
the  thanks  of  a  poor  devil.  You  don't  know  how 
bad  I  feel  on  it.  It's  worse  than  when  our  eldest 
boy  died  and  I  had  just  to  carry  him  out  and  bury 
him  in  the  bush  myself  like  a  dog,  and  being  summer 
time  and  the  grave  that  shallow  I  had  to  drag  logs 
over  it  for  fear  the  dingoes  would  scratch  it  up.  It'll 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  97 

be  worse  though,  I  say,  to  see  the  missis  and  kids 
turned  out  on  the  road  to  starve.  It  makes  a  fellow 
wish  there  was  a  poorhouse  in  this  blasted  country.' 

'  Don't  be  afraid  of  that,  man,'  said  Toland,  en- 
couragingly. '  If  the  worst  comes  to  the  worst,  there 
are  plenty  of  folk  round  here  will  look  after  them  till 
you  get  work.  You  get  home  to  your  wife  and  tell 
her  Mrs  Toland  will  be  over  to  see  her  soon,  and  I'll 
go  to  Mallock  this  afternoon,  and  if  I  can't  do  any- 
thing else  I  might  break  his  neck  for  you.' 

'  That's  what  I'd  wish,  only  I'd  like  to  do  it  myself,' 
said  Johnson.  '  I'll  be  over  again  to-night  to  find 
out  how  you  got  on.  Good-day,  and  thanks  to  you.' 

Johnson  rode  off,  and  Toland,  having  instructed 
Mick  to  go  on  hauling  light  stuff  that  he  could  get 
into  piles  himself,  walked  up  to  the  cottage,  catching 
his  horse  on  the  way. 

Ruth  was  deeply  sympathetic  when  she  heard  the 
news  and  wanted  to  go  and  comfort  the  family  at 
once,  but  Toland  persuaded  her  to  postpone  her  visit 
until  after  his  interview  with  Mallock.  She  did  not 
altogether  like  the  idea  of  her  husband's  visit  to  the 
'  Morning  Star,'  for  she  argued,  from  the  stern  ex- 
pression on  his  face,  that  it  would  not  be  of  an 
amicable  nature. 

'  Don't  get  into  a  row  with  that  horrid  man,'  she 
said  pleadingly  as  Toland  was  leaving  the  cottage. 
c  You  know  it  can  do  no  good,  and  I  do  hate  the 
thought  of  it' 

'  Don't  be  afraid,  little  mother,'  he  said,  laughing  at 
her  tone  of  alarm.  '  Mallock  won't  hurt  me.  I'm  too 
big  and  ugly  for  that.'  He  lifted  her  off  her  feet  like 
a  child  and  kissed  her,  and  then  rode  away  on  his 
mission. 

G 


98  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

On  his  way  to  the  township  Toland  had  plenty  of 
time  for  reflection.  After  deciding  what  course  he 
would  pursue  with  Mallock  he  turned  to  a  considera- 
tion of  the  wider  aspects  of  the  case,  and  the  more  he 
dwelt  upon  them  the  more  distressed  he  felt.  Now 
for  the  first  time  in  the  new  world  he  was  face  to  face 
with  conditions  that  had  crazed  his  mind  in  the  old 
and  sent  him  forth  as  a  wanderer  in  search  of  land 
where  it  was  boasted  that  independence  waited  on 
toil.  For  the  first  time  beneath  Southern  skies  he 
had  found  man  framing  a  supplication  unto  man  for 
leave  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  labour — for  a  brief 
respite  wherein  to  avert  calamity.  All  this  came  the 
more  as  a  shock  to  him  because  the  life  sounds  that 
had  vibrated  in  his  being  of  late  years  had  been  the 
sweet  music  of  hope  and  joyous  contentment ;  but  now 
a  harsh,  discordant  note  had  been  struck,  and  he  felt 
as  one  who,  from  a  dream  of  happiness,  is  awakened 
by  a  cry  of  pain.  In  his  simple  faith,  toil  in  the 
fields,  veritably  in  the  sight  of  God,  appeared  as 
almost  the  only  truly  honest  lifework  for  a  man  ;  and 
that  those  who  sowed  should  not  reap  seemed  to  him 
an  injustice  before  which  all  others  paled.  This  senti- 
ment had  increased  ever  since  his  arrival  in  Australia, 
as  a  conception  gathers  strength  in  the  process  of 
realisation.  On  his  farm  he  owned  no  master;  emblem 
of  constituted  authority  there  was  none ;  evidences  of 
superior  advantages  conferred  by  birth,  education  or 
wealth  were  almost  absent  in  a  community  where  it 
was  man  to  man  and  all  together  as  soldiers  of  the 
same  rank  in  an  advance  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  world 
army  marching  to  the  conquest  of  Nature  and  the 
making  of  a  nation.  His  individuality  had  devel- 
oped under  the  conducive  conditions  of  his  free  and 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  99 

independent  life.  The  disavowal  of  any  master — of 
obedience  even  to  conventionality — had  increased  his 
stature,  made  him  know  himself,  and  had  bred  a 
fierce  determination  to  resent  anything  even  sugges- 
tive of  dependence.  Such  independence  he  thought 
to  be  the  inviolable  prerogative  of  every  man  who 
bent  his  back  in  honest  toil,  earning  his  charter  of 
freedom  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow.  Yet  now  it  all 
seemed  a  mockery.  He  found  himself  on  an  errand 
of  mercy,  sent  by  a  slave  to  his  master  with  a  prayer 
for  leave  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  labour.  And  such 
a  master !  Toland  clenched  his  fists  as  he  thought  of 
it,  and  muttered  to  himself,  '  Give  me  the  landlords 
of  the  old  country  if  such  are  to  be  those  of  the  new.' 
Never  had  the  great  forest  seemed  so  dark  and 
gloomy,  and  for  the  first  time  the  thought  occurred  to 
Toland  that  victory  might  in  the  end  be  with  the 
giant  trees,  and  that  the  tide  of  man's  conquest  might 
be  rolled  back  after  having  inflicted  a  few  wounds  here 
and  there,  quickly  to  be  healed  and  hidden  from  view. 
This  feeling  of  depression  brought  a  revelation  to 
him.  He  marvelled  how  the  aspect  of  all  things 
might  change,  and  repeated  to  himself  again  and 
again, '  Without  hope  a  man  would  go  mad  in  this 
wilderness.' 

Thus  he  was  led  on  to  put  himself  in  Johnson's 
place,  and,  with  his  heart-strings  wrung,  and  full  of 
pity  and  bitterness,  ne  rode  on  through  the  silent 
forest. 


CHAPTER    II 

WHEN  Toland  reached  the  'Morning  Star'  two 
bullock-teams  were  drawn  up  in  the  road  outside. 
The  dull,  patient-looking  brutes  were  panting  in  the 
hot  sun  with  their  heads  almost  in  the  dust,  whilst  the 
drivers,  two  big,  uncouth-looking  fellows,  were  drink- 
ing and  talking  in  the  bar  with  Mallock.  .  Toland 
tied  up  his  horse  in  the  shade  of  a  wattle  and 
entered  the  bar. 

'Good-day,  Mr  Toland,'  said  Mallock,  without  in 
any  way  showing  the  surprise  he  must  have  felt  at 
seeing  so  unusual  a  visitor. 

'  Good-day,'  replied  Toland,  somewhat  curtly. 

'  It's  my  b shout,'  said  one  of  the  bullock-drivers, 

throwing  half  a  sovereign  on  to  the  counter.  '  Will 
you  join  us,  mate  ? ' 

Toland  acquiesced  in  order  not  to  give  offence, 
and  when  a  round  of  drinks  had  been  disposed  of  he 
shouted  in  accordance  with  recognised  etiquette. 

Then  he  turned  to  Mallock. 

'  I  want  to  have  a  word  with  you,'  he  said. 

Mallock  called  a  woman  to  take  his  place. 

'  Come  this  way,  then,'  he  said,  going  into  the 
parlour  opening  off  the  bar.  Toland  followed  him. 
'  Take  a  seat,'  said  Mallock,  indicating  a  chair  with 
his  foot  and  sitting  down  himself. 

Toland  sat  down. 

'  I've  come  to  see  you  about  a  morgtage,'  he  began. 

'  Aha ! '  broke  in  Mallock.     '  I  thought  so.     Why, 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  101 

damn  it,  when  a  cocky  comes  into  the  bar  nowadays 
I  never  know  whether  to  say,  "  What'll  you  have  ?  "  or 
"  How  much'll  you  have  ?  "  Well,  what's  yours  ? ' 

'  I'm  sorry  to  disappoint  you,'  replied  Toland, '  but  I 
never  said  it  was  my  own  business  I  had  come  about.' 

'  No,  you  didn't/  said  Mallock,  sullenly,  '  but  I 
thought  you  were  the  sort  of  chap  that  knew  enough 
to  mind  his  own  business  and  let  other  people  mind 
theirs.  That's  my  rule.' 

'  Well,  it's  my  rule,'  said  Toland,  hotly, '  when  I  see 
a  man  being  swindled,  to  make  his  business  my 
business,  and  that's  why  I  am  here.' 

'  Then  if  you  want  to  do  any  good  I  reckon  you'd 
better  be  a  bit  more  civil.' 

Toland  felt  conscious  that  there  was  some  truth  in 
the  remark,  and  not  wishing  to  fail  in  the  advocacy  of 
his  friend's  cause,  he  adopted  a  more  conciliatory  tone. 

'  I  suppose  it's  no  use  coming  to  blows,'  he  said, 
'  before  we  know  whether  it  is  necessary  or  not.  I'm 
here  because  Mr  Johnson  asked  me  to  come  over  and 
see  you  about  the  difficulty  he's  in  with  you  over  his 
mortgage.' 

'  Did  he  happen  to  send  the  money  by  you  ? '  asked 
Mallock,  with  a  sneer. 

'  No,  but  he  asked  me  to  come  and  see  if  you'd  put 
off  the  sale  for  a  bit,  to  give  him  a  chance  to  raise  it' 

'  Not  much,'  replied  Mallock,  decisively.  '  I've 
heard  that  yarn  before,  and  ain't  green  enough  to 
be  had  by  it.' 

'  You  don't  mean  to  say  that  you  will  sell  a  man's 
home  over  him  without  giving  him  a  chance  ? ' 

'  I  mean  what  I  say — just  that  and  nothing  else.  I 
gave  Johnson  notice  months  ago  I'd  come  down  on 
him.  I'm  a  man  of  my  word.  The  place  is  up  for 


102  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

sale  in  a  week,  and  sold  it  will  be  as  sure  as  my 
name  is  Nicholas  Mallock.' 

'  Well,  what'll  you  take  to  put  off  the  sale  and  give 
the  man  an  extension?  I  suppose  you'll  do  it  for 
gold  if  you  won't  do  it  for  anything  else  ? ' 

'  I  won't  take  what  all  the  scurvy  cockies  in  the 
place  could  raise  to  give  me.  I've  made  up  my  mind 
on  that.  I  want  my  money  and  I've  got  to  get  it.' 

'  But  you  won't  get  it  at  the  sale.  You  know  very 
well  there'll  most  likely  be  no  bid.' 

'  That's  so ;  and  Johnson  will  just  have  to  pack  up 
his  traps  and  scoot  out,  and  I'll  perhaps  try  a  little 
farming  myself.' 

'  Then  you  mean  to  say  that  I  am  to  tell  Johnson 
that  you  intend  to  ruin  him  and  seize  his  farm/  said 
Toland,  angrily. 

'  You  can  tell  him  what  you  dam'  well  please,'  re- 
plied Mallock,  coolly, '  but  that's  about  the  length  of 
it.  Tell  him,  too,  I'd  advise  him  to  look  after  his  own 
business,  and  if  he  wants  to  stay  on  after  the  place  is 
mine  he'd  better  come  and  see  me  and  I  might  rent 
it  to  him.' 

'By  God,  you  can  tell  him  that  yourself!'  said 
Toland,  springing  to  his  feet.  '  I'd  sooner  be  dead 
than  work  for  a  low  hound  like  you.' 

Mallock  rose  with  the  grunt  of  a  fierce  boar  and 
faced  Toland,  both  waiting  for  the  next  word  to 
spring  at  each  other's  throats.  There  was  a  silence 
for  a  few  seconds,  broken  only  by  the  passionate 
breathing  of  the  two  men. 

Then  of  a  sudden  an  uproar  arose  in  the  bar,  easily 
heard  through  the  hessian  wall. 

'  You  won't  drink  with  me,  won't  you,  you  b 

toff!'  shouted  one  of  the  bullock-drivers. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  103 

'  No,  thank  you,  I'd  sooner  drink  with  a  pig.' 
Toland's  attention  was  riveted  by  the  uncon- 
cerned manner  in  which  the  words  were  uttered. 

'  I'll  knock  the  b head  off  yer,'  was  the  retort. 

'  There's  going  to  be  a  row,'  said  Mallock,  moving 
towards  the  bar.  '  It's  that  damned  fool  of  a  teacher 
come  for  his  letters,  and  Bullocky  Bill's  a  bit  on.' 

Toland  followed  him,  forgetting  his  own  affair  in 
the  fresh  excitement. 

In  the  centre  of  the  bar  floor  two  men  were  squar- 
ing up  at  one  another.  One  was  Bullocky  Bill — a 
powerful-looking  brute — and  the  other  a  tall,  thin- 
featured  man,  Conyngham  by  name. 

'  What's  this  about  ?  Drop  it,  Bill ! '  said  Mallock, 
approaching  the  combatants. 

'  Leave  him  alone,'  said  his  mate ;  '  he's  got  to  take 

down  this  b toff,  who's  too  fine  to  drink  with  a 

workin'  man.' 

'  Come  on,  you ! '  cried  Bill,  making  afierce  lunge. 

Conyngham  stepped  back  and  the  blow  fell  short. 
Again  the  attempt  was  repeated,  and  again  it  failed. 
Toland  saw  that  Bullocky  Bill  had  met  a  practised 
boxer,  and  had  no  fear  as  to  the  result.  Bill,  too,  re- 
cognised that  there  was  need  for  care  and  moved 
round  muttering  curses. 

'  Wire  in,  Bill !  He's  only  playing  with  you,'  said 
his  mate,  in  an  aggrieved  tone. 

Thus  exhorted,  Bill  rushed  in  again,  hammer  and 
tongs,  right  and  left,  but  never  a  blow  got  home,  for 
Conyngham  was  only  playing  with  him  and  not  even 
deigning  to  strike  in  return,  while  the  quiet,  sarcastic 
smile  never  left  his  face. 

Bill's  mate  groaned  in  wrathful  shame  while  Toland 
and  Mallock  looked  on  fascinated.  Bill  was  rapidly 


104  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

getting  pumped  out  by  his  furious  and  ineffectual 
onslaughts  and,  recognising  the  fact,  he  nerved  him- 
self for  a  supreme  effort.  He  rushed  in  with  his  head 
down  in  an  attempt  to  seize  his  opponent  by  the 
waist  and  throw  him.  Then  the  end  came.  Conyng- 
ham's  eyes  for  the  first  time  flashed,  and  he  swung  in 
a  vicious  upper  cut  with  his  left  that  sent  Bill  stagger- 
ing back  with  his  guard  down,  and  then,  springing 
forward,  he  struck  him  a  fearful  blow  under  the  jaw 
with  his  right,  and  Bill  crashed  down  backwards  on 
to  the  floor,  an  unconscious  and  bloody  mass.  His 
mate  ran  to  pick  him  up  and  Conyngham  turned  to 
Mallock. 

'  Have  you  any  letters  for  me,  Mr  Mallock  ? '  he 
said  quietly,  as  he  wiped  a  spot  of  blood  off  his 
knuckles  with  his  handkerchief. 

'  My  oath,  you're  a  cool  'un ! '  said  Mallock, 
admiringly. 

'  I  asked  you  if  you  had  any  letters,'  said  Conyng- 
ham, in  a  chilling  tone. 

'  I  beg  pardon,  sir ;  no,  I  haven't.  Won't  you 
have  a  taste  after  it?' 

'  Yes,  I  think  I  will.    Give  me  some  brandy,  please.' 

Mallock  put  a  bottle  and  glass  on  the  table,  and 
Conyngham  tossed  off  over  half  a  tumbler  of  raw 
spirit. 

'Chuck  a  bucket  of  water  over  him,'  he  said,  in- 
dicating his  still  prostrate  adversary,  and  then  walked 
outside  and  unhitched  his  horse  from  the  fence. 

Toland  followed  him. 

'  I  know  you're  Mr  Conyngham,'  he  said  as  he 
approached.  'My  name's  John  Toland,  and  I'd  like 
to  shake  hands  with  you  for  a  man.' 

Conyngham  held  out  his  hand  with  a  smile.     '  I'm 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  105 

glad  to  meet  you,'  he  said.     '  I've  heard  about  you 
from  Mrs  Scott/ 

Toland  noticed  to  his  surprise  that  Conyngham's 
hand  was  quivering  violently. 

'  I  wish  you  would  come  over  and  see  us  some- 
times, sir.  My  wife  and  I  would  be  pleased.' 

Conyngham  was  boarding  with  the  Scotts,  and 
their  commentaries  on  the  Tolands  had  made  him 
desire  to  become  acquainted  with  them,  and  he 
answered  pleasantly  that  he  would  accept  the  in- 
vitation on  the  first  opportunity. 

Both  men  then  mounted  their  horses. 

'  Don't  our  roads  lie  together  for  a  while  ? '  said 
Conyngham. 

'  Yes,  they  do,'  said  Toland,  pleased  at  the  idea  of 
his  companionship. 

So  they  rode  off  together,  and  Toland  related, 
much  to  Conyngham's  amusement,  how  the  latter 
had  caused  a  sudden  cessation  of  hostilities  between 
him  and  Mallock. 

'  I  must  apologise,'  he  said  gaily,  '  but  I  wouldn't 
have  missed  that  little  excitement  for  worlds.  It  has 
braced  me  up  and  done  me  a  lot  of  good.  It  has  re- 
lieved me  of  the  sense  of  the  monotony  of  life.  I'd 
like  to  ride  for  hours  now  in  the  cool  evening  air.' 
He  took  off  his  hat  and  Toland  noticing  how  flushed 
the  pale  features  had  suddenly  become,  put  it  down 
to  Mallock's  brandy. 

'  Might  I  then  ask  you,'  he  said, '  to  ride  on  with  me 
and  stay  the  night  ?  To-morrow's  Saturday  and  you 
will  have  nothing  to  do.' 

'  I  think  I  shall,'  replied  Conyngham,  '  if  you  will 
be  so  good  as  to  have  me.  I  seldom  feel  inclined  to 
go  a  mile  out  of  my  way,  but  now  I  feel  as  if  I  really 


io6  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

lived  and  were  a  man  of  action.  Come,  let's  have  a 
gallop.  The  ground  is  level.' 

As  Toland  plunged  along  behind  his  companion 
he  wondered  if  the  man  were  mad,  or  really  the  quiet, 
saturnine  scholar  described  to  him  by  Bess,  and  con- 
cluded that  the  excitement  of  the  fight  and  the  fire 
of  the  '  Morning  Star'  brandy  had  wrought  the  change. 

When  they  pulled  up  he  asked  Conyngham  if  he 
felt  the  loneliness  of  the  bush  very  much. 

'Yes,'  replied  Conyngham,  'but  I  like  it.  "The 
world  forgetting,  I  wish  to  be  by  the  world  forgot," 
and  after  all  I  find  more  companionship  in  these 
mighty  solitudes  than  I  should  on  a  human  ant- 
hill.' 

'Well,  it's  a  grand  thing  to  have  a  contented 
nature,'  said  Toland,  wishing  he  could  take  this 
philosophical  view  of  life. 

'  No,  it's  the  worst,'  said  Conyngham,  speaking  ex- 
citedly and  as  a  man  taken  out  of  himself.  '  Dis- 
content is  manly — sometimes  divine.  It  is  an  evi- 
dence of  desire  to  struggle  up  the  ladder  of  existence 
to  the  topmost  height.  The  fool  stands  on  the 
bottom  rung  and  grows  fat  and  contented,  but  the 
hero  goes  up  and  up,  even  though  it  be  at  the  risk 
of  breaking  his  neck.' 

'  Well,  then,  how  is  it  that  you  are  contented,  for  I 
am  sure  you  are  not  a  fool  ? ' 

A  smile  hovered  over  Conyngham's  flushed  features 
as  he  prepared  to  answer  the  question. 

'  No,  I  trust  I  am  not  wholly  a  fool  in  the  narrow 
sense,  however  much  in  the  larger.  Let's  see  how  it 
comes  that  I  am  not  now  "  wearying  deaf  heaven  with 
unavailing  cries."  Suppose  we  took  a  man  and 
threw  him  into  the  river,  swollen  with  winter  floods. 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  107 

He  would  struggle  and  struggle,  shriek  for  aid  across 
the  waters  to  his  God  and  cast  up  his  eyes  in  agonies 
of  despair,  and  battle  till  exhausted.  Then  he  would 
sink  and  rest  in  some  still  nook  round  which  the 
waters  swirled.  At  first,  before  life  departed,  the 
sensation  would  be  one  of  perfect  bliss.  He  would 
see  green  fields  and  hear  the  songs  of  birds  mingling 
with  the  rippling  of  waters  and  feel  how  joyous  it 
was  to  rest  after  strife.  He  would  feel  content  and 
dream  into  death.  So  I  suppose  I  feel  content.  The 
turbid  waters  of  life  in  which  I  once  struggled  do 
not  disturb  the  peace  of  this  quiet  spot  in  which  I 
n/ow  dream  away  the  hours,  ingloriously  perhaps,  but 
not  unhappily.' 

Conyngham  concluded  in  a  dreamy  tone,  speaking 
to  himself  more  than  to  Toland.  The  latter  felt  at- 
tracted by  the  strange  personality  of  the  man,  and 
for  a  while  they  rode  on  in  silence,  broken  only  by 
the  dull  soft  beat  of  hoofs  on  the  dusty  road  and  by 
the  champing  of  the  horses  at  their  bits. 

Presently  Conyngham  pulled  up  and  faced  the 
west. 

'  Look  there,'  he  said,  pointing  to  the  sunset. 
'  Who  would  live  in  the  murk  and  squalor  of  a  city 
and  miss  such  sights  as  that?  Do  you  see  that  black 
range  under  the  sunset?  How  splendid  it  looks 
with  the  gloom  of  this  earth  upon  it,  while  overhead 
the  glories  of  the  heavens  are  unfolding!  Those 
clouds  are  like  golden  argosies  floating  across  the 
rose-tinted  sea.  That  other  to  the  right  must  be 
the  war-cloud  we  read  of,  saturated  as  it  is  with 
blood.' 

As  he  spoke  the  last  words  he  gave  a  shudder 
and  rode  on  again  with  Toland,  muttering  to  himself, 


io8  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

1  By  Heaven  !  Mallock's  brandy  must  have  iambic 
properties.' 

Presently  he  drew  in  his  horse. 

'  Mr  Toland,'  he  said,  '  if  you  will  excuse  me  I 
shall  not  go  any  further  with  you  to-night,  but  shall 
come  and  see  you  another  day.' 

'  Oh,  don't  go  back  now,'  said  Toland,  disappointed 
and  surprised.  'We're  only  a  few  miles  off.  I  hope 
you're  feeling  all  right,'  he  added  with  concern,  as  he 
noticed  the  ashen  hue  that  had  displaced  the  flush 
on  Conyngham's  face. 

'  Oh,  yes,  I  feel  all  right,'  he  said, '  only  I'm  a  little 
upset  after  that  row.  One  time  it  would  have  been 
different,  but  I  am  afraid  my  solitary  life  must  be 
upsetting  my  nerves.  The  blood-red  sky  suggested 
that  beastly  sight  in  the  bar,  and  I  feel  as  if  I 
wouldn't  care  to  shake  hands  to-night  with  a  refined 
woman  like  your  wife.1 

'Oh,  don't  let  that  stop  you,'  said  Toland.  'If 
Ruth  doesn't  like  a  man  to  take  care  of  himself  I 
don't  know  why  she  married  me,  though  I  must  say 
her  last  words  to  me  this  afternoon  were  not  to  get 
into  a  row.  But  we  won't  say  anything  about  it.  I 
want  your  advice  on  a  matter  and  so  would  like 
you  to  come  on.' 

'  If  I  can  be  of  any  use  to  you,  of  course  I'll  come,' 
said  Conyngham,  as  he  spurred  his  horse. 

Toland  related  the  history  of  Johnson's  misfortune 
and  found  a  sympathiser,  though  Conyngham  could 
not  suggest  any  way  out  of  the  difficulty. 

'  I  suppose,'  he  said,  '  Johnson  had  better  take 
Mallock's  offer  and  rent  the  place  from  him.' 

'  Well,  I  say  he  had  better  go  and  shoot  himself 
than  be  slave  to  such  a  brute,'  replied  Toland. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  109 

'  That,'  said  Conyngham, '  would  be  a  very  excellent 
way  of  getting  himself  out  of  the  difficulty,  but  it 
would  not  benefit  his  family  much ;  and,  after  all,  it 
matters  very  little  whether  a  man  be  tenant  to  the  lord 
or  the  shanty-keeper,  for  in  any  case  the  uttermost 
farthing  has  to  be  paid.  The  injustice,  if  any  there 
be,  is  not  in  relation  to  individuals  but  the  system 
which  causes  one  man  to  be  at  the  disposal  of 
another.' 

'  That's  it,'  said  Toland,  delighted  to  at  least  find 
someone  of  his  own  way  of  thinking,  '  and  that's  why 
I  am  here  instead  of  in  the  old  country.' 

'  Do  you  think,  then/  said  Conyngham, '  there  is  any 
essential  difference  between  the  system  here  and 
there,  or  did  you  not  rather  come  out  here  to  per- 
petuate a  wrong  with  the  hope,  however,  of  bene- 
fiting from  it?' 

'  I  scarcely  understand,'  replied  Toland.  '  We  stop 
here.  These  are  the  slip-rails.'  As  he  pulled  up  a 
man  rode  towards  them  out  of  the  darkness.  '  Hullo, 
Johnson,  is  that  you  ? '  asked  Toland. 

'  Right,  it's  me !  I  couldn't  wait  down  at  the 
house,  so  I  rode  up  to  meet  you.  How  did  you 
get  on?' 

Toland  told  him  the  result  of  the  interview  and 
advised  him  to  see  Mallock  himself. 

'  I'm  much  obliged  to  you,  Mr  Toland,'  said 
Johnson,  '  much  obliged.  I  didn't  expect  no  better. 
I'll  just  get  back  now  and  talk  it  over  with  the 
missis.  Good-night  to  you  ! ' 

'  Good-night,  and  better  luck,'  said  Toland. 

'  Poor  devil ! '  muttered  Conyngham. 

That  night  at  Grimsby  Farm  was  a  pleasant  one 
for  the  Tolands,  who  were  delighted  with  their  new 


no  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

friend.  At  first  he  was  reserved,  though  courteous, 
having  shrunk  back  into  himself  after  a  fit  of  un- 
natural self-abandonment,  and  Toland  could  scarcely 
believe  that  he  was  the  man  whose  unguarded  flow 
of  language  had  attracted  him  on  their  ride. 

Gradually,  however,  he  thawed  under  the  soften- 
ing influence  of  Ruth's  gentle  nature  and  sym- 
pathetic kindliness,  though  he  seemed  unable,  under 
any  circumstances,  to  restrain  a  tendency  towards 
pessimism  tinged  with  sardonic  humour.  Amongst 
other  subjects  they  discussed  the  difficulties  of  Mab's 
education. 

'  It  is  too  far  to  send  her  to  school,'  said  Toland, 
'and  the  wife  hasn't  much  time.' 

'  Don't  send  her,'  said  Conyngham,  looking  at  the 
pretty  child  ;  '  let  her  mother  teach  her.  And  if  Mrs 
Toland  will  let  me  I  will  help  her  as  much  as  I 
can.' 

'  I  would  indeed  be  glad,'  said  Ruth. 
'  Yes,'  said  Conyngham,  smiling,  '  we'll  do  our  best. 
We'll  educate  her  so  that  she  will  grow  up  to  despise 
us  all  and  be  able  to  feed  the  pigs  en  grande  maniere, 
Won't  we,  Mab  ? ' 

'  I  hate  pigs,'  replied  the  child.  '  Joe  can  feed 
them — he  likes  them.' 

'  No,  I  don't,'  retorted  brother  Joe,  indignantly.  '  I 
only  like  dogs  and  horses.' 

'It's  time  you  were  in  bed,  children,'  said  their 
father. 

Joe  marched  off  at  once,  grumbling  to  himself. 
Mab  kissed  her  father  and  mother,  and  then  Conyng- 
ham, who  she  supposed  was  some  sort  of  uncle. 

Conyngham  wondered  how  many  years  it  was 
since  he  had  been  kissed,  and  thought  perhaps  he 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  in 

was  not  so  hard-hearted  as  he  had  believed  himself 
to  be. 

The  elders  sat  up  talking  until  the  air  was  cool 
enough  to  render  sleep  a  possibility,  and  then  also 
went  to  bed.  Conyngham  did  not  undress,  but 
waited  until  there  was  no  sound  to  be  heard  but  the 
heavy  breathing  of  the  sleepers  and  then  opened  the 
window  and  stole  out.  He  walked  a  short  distance 
from  the  cottage,  and  having  lit  his  pipe,  flung  him- 
self down  on  the  grass  with  his  face  to  the  stars  and 
thought  for  hours  the  thoughts  of  a  lonely  man  who, 
having  failed  in  life,  had  drifted  into  the  back-blocks 
of  the  Australian  Bush. 


CHAPTER     III 

'  I  SUPPOSE  you'd  not  care  to  let  Mabel  go  to  the 
Marlins  for  a  day  or  two,  John  ? ' 

Toland  took  his  pipe  out  of  his  mouth  and  looked 
at  his  wife.  He  detected  a  tremble  in  her  tone  of 
assumed  indifference,  and  his  conscience  smote  him. 
There  were  threads  of  grey  in  her  hair,  lines  too  deep 
for  her  years  beneath  her  eyes,  and  how  different  was 
this  deprecatory  appeal,  with  averted  face,  to  the  old, 
half-laughing,  half-imperious  commands  she  had  been 
wont  to  lay  upon  him,  looking  into  his  eyes  and 
crushing  all  power  of  resistance  by  the  pressure  of  a 
little  hand  on  his. 

And  once  more  he  had  to  refuse  the  request  that 
Ruth's  words  implied.  '  No,  dear.' 

She  sighed ;  her  eyes  grew  suddenly  dim,  her 
hands  dropped  on  her  lap,  and  she  looked  through  a 
mist  of  unshed  tears  into  the  past,  whence  she  and 
John  had  seen  these  then  distant  years,  full  of  hope- 
ful mystery  with  golden  faith-lit  lights,  shining  out  of 
the  purple  haze  of  the  unknown.  The  mists  of  the 
future  were  greyer  now.  They  hung  over  mountains 
of  possibility,  mere  petty  ranges  close  at  hand,  com- 
pared with  the  gorgeous  distant  heights  that  the  eyes 
of  youth  look  so  confidently  to  explore,  while  the 
lights  were  paler  and  seldom  pierced  the  clouds. 

Then  Ruth  felt  the  touch  of  lips  upon  her  hair ; 
looking  up,  she  saw  her  husband  bending  over  her, 

112 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  113 

and  future,  past  disappointments,  fears,  all  vanished 
before  the  magic  of  the  present  and  the  wonder  of 
love. 

Toland  flung  the  pipe  and  newspaper  off  his  chair 
and  brought  it  close  to  hers  before  the  fire,  where  he 
might  draw  her  head  down  upon  his  shoulder.  '  Are 
you  ever  sorry  you  married  me,  Ruth,  little  woman  ?  ' 

There  was  a  soft  laugh  ;  her  head  nestled  closer 
against  his  coat,  her  hand,  in  which  he  noticed  with 
a  shock  how  blue  the  veins  showed,  tightened  its  grip 
of  his  fingers. 

'  I  sometimes  am,'  he  continued.  '  How  can  I  help 
seeing  that  this  lonely  bush  life  is  wearing  you — that 
you  are  growing  old  before  your  time  ? ' 

He  felt  the  slightest  little  petulant  shrug,  and  with 
a  sudden  realisation  of  woman  and  his  own  tactless- 
ness curving  his  lips  in  a  momentary  smile,  he  went 
on, '  You  have  not  lost  your  beauty,  Ruth.  For  me 
you  never  will,  for  I  shall  love  each  grey  hair  and 
wrinkle  as  long  as  I  have  eyes  to  see.' 

'  And  yet  you  are  sorry  ? ' 

'  Not  for  myself,  God  knows,'  he  said  with  a  grip 
of  her  hand  that  almost  made  her  cry  aloud.  '  Ruth, 
if  I  were  to  lose  you  that  would  be  the  end  of  me. 
When  I  met  you  first  my  soul  was  in  a  ferment  of 
disappointment  at  finding  injustice  here  worse  than  I 
had  left  behind — rage  at  being  swindled  of  my  rights 
— hatred  of  the  blackguards  that  did  it — longing  for 
a  home,  for  success,  revenge — a  dozen  good  and  bad 
impulses — but  if  I  had  not  met  you  the  bad  would 
have  got  me  under.' 

Ruth  smiled  proudly.  '  But  you  did  meet  me  and 
you  have  got  them  under.' 

'  Have   I  ?    I    am    not  so  sure.     I  thought  when  I 

H 


i,4  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

married  you  that  I  could  succeed — make  your  life 
bright  and  happy — and  the  black  moods  come  back 
when  I  see  I  haven't  done  it.' 

He  shook  his  head  at  her  gesture  of  protest,  and 
lifting  hers  from  his  shoulder,  stood  looking  at  her. 
'  No,  clear,  I  haven't,  but  Heaven  knows  I've  worked 
hard  enough.' 

His  expression  grew  so  fierce  that  Ruth  was  afraid 
to  face  him  as  he  moved  restlessly  about  the  room. 

'  No  man  has  worked  harder,  but  it's  that  cursed, 
cursed  blight  that  rests  on  labour.  Where  do  they 
shove  me  out  to  do  it?  Into  a  wilderness  where 
there's  not  a  man  or  woman  within  ten  miles  of  us 
for  you  to  make  a  friend  of!  Independence  in  the 
bush  or  slavery  in  the  towns — and  such  independence 
too!  Haven't  we  seen  one  miserable  devil  after 
another  go  down  all  around  us  to  feed  the  blasted 
land  sharks?  And  even  I'm  mortgaged  now.' 

Ruth  looked  at  him  anxiously. 

'  Oh,  don't  fret  about  that'  But  in  a  gentler  tone, 
'  What  is  there  in  it,  Ruth,  dear  ?  A  bare  pleasure- 
less  life  for  you  ;  for  the  children  a  few  lean,  unlicked 
cubs  to  play  with.  No  amusements  but  a  tea-meeting 
once  a  year,  or  those  bush  races  that  Joe  is  getting 
much  too  fond  of.' 

'  The  children  are  happy  enough,'  she  said  thought- 
fully. 

'Now,  perhaps;  but  what  is  their  future?  Joe 
hates  the  land  already  that  I've  treasured  so  for  his, 
and  small  blame  to  him.  He'll  be  a  wage  slave  to 
somebody,  you'll  see.  What  will  Mabel  be?  And 
our  little  baby  that  died — wasn't  it  murdered,  like  a 
thousand  others,  by  the  rogues  in  power  that  crowd 
honest  men  in  slums,  or  drive  them  into  the  back- 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  115 

woods,  where  the  mothers  toil  and  fret  their  infants' 
lives  away  ? ' 

'  John,  John,  dear !  Hush !  You  are  talking 
wildly.' 

She  was  standing  beside  him,  her  gentle  arms 
around  his  neck  and  her  cheek  pressed  to  his. 

'  It's  hard,  dear,  but  you  have  me,  and  I  have  you, 
and  Mabel,  if  only  you  could  persuade  yourself  to 
let  her—' 

'  No,'  he  interrupted  almost  roughly.  '  Don't  ask 
me  that  again.  It  pains  me  beyond  everything  to 
pain  you  and  deny  the  girl  any  pleasure.  Wasn't 
that  what  started  me  talking  to-night?  You 
belonged  to  those  people  by  birth  and  sympathy, 
and  sometimes  I  hate  myself  for  taking  you  from 
them.  But  can  you  wonder  I  hate  them  too,  for 
first  robbing  me,  and  then  bringing  the  only  cloud 
there  ever  was  between  you  and  me  ? ' 

'  There  is  no  cloud,'  Ruth  murmured  with  a  sigh. 

'  No,  no,  there  is  none ! '  he  cried  eagerly,  '  and  you 
will  confess,  dear,  that  I  am  right,  won't  you  ?  Mabel 
shall  not  go,  because  she  is  a  pretty  toy,  to  be  petted 
and  patronised  by  that  squatting  crowd !  We  are 
right  to  keep  our  independence  if  we  can't  keep 
anything  else,  aren't  we,  Ruth  ? ' 

With  the  only  selfishness  of  an  unselfish  woman, 
who  will  sacrfiice  the  rest  of  the  world,  together  with 
her  own  dearest  good,  whatever  it  be,  to  please  the 
man  she  loves,  Ruth  gave  way  and  returned  his  kiss. 

'  Yes,  John,  you  are  quite  right,'  she  faltered,  look- 
ing into  his  eyes,  with  the  voice  of  conscience 
whispering  all  the  time  that  he  was  wrong  and  she 
a  coward ;  that  she  was  wronging  herself  and 
Margaret  and  Mabel  because  she  loved  her  husband's 


, ,  6  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

love  too  much  to  -fight  his  wishes  and  darken  his 
face  with  frowns. 

Then  she  soothed  him  to  hope  and  placidity  again 
by  tactful,  enthusiastic  praise  of  their  beautiful  farm 
and  home— the  materialised  expression  of  his  manly 
industry  and  courage.  During  their  sixteen  years  of 
married  life  Ruth  had  learnt  her  husband  better 
than  he  guessed.  She  knew  what  subjects  it  was 
wise  to  avoid  and  how  best  to  pour  oil  on  troubled 
waters.  His  arm  was  still  round  her  waist  and  they 
started  guiltily,  like  young  lovers,  when  a  door  was 
opened  before  they  had  time  to  answer  the  knock. 

Rising  quickly,  Ruth  blushed  and  extended  her 
hand  to  welcome  Conyngham,  while  with  the  other 
she  deftly  twisted  a  straying  lock  of  hair  into  place. 

'  It's  a  long  time  since  you've  been  near  us,'  she 
said.  'Sit  down  here  by  the  fire.  What  have  you 
done  with  my  young  people  ? ' 

Conyngham  shook  hands  gravely  with  Ruth  and 
her  husband,  not  a  sign  betraying  the  half-jealous 
amusement  of  a  lonely  man  at  this  lover-like  old 
couple. 

'  Mabel  and  Joe  are  coming  nome  when  the  moon 
rises,  and  they  bid  me  tell  you  that  they  are  bringing 
their  Cousin  Bess  with  them.  It  is  cold  to-night,'  he 
continued.  '  Winter  has  not  quite  sheathed  his 
claws,  though  there's  a  fresh  in  the  river  that  shows 
the  snow  in  the  hills  is  melting.' 

Four  years  had  passed  since  Conyngham  had 
paid  his  first  visit  to  the  Tolands,  and  often  since,  on 
Saturday  evenings,  as  now,  he  spent  a  few  hours  at 
Grimsby  Farm,  when  he  was  always  welcome,  though 
the  cynical  theories  of  men  and  life  which  flowed  so 
placidly  from  his  lips  were  sometimes  fuel  to  Toland's 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  117 

angry  discontent.  He  had  left  his  horse  in  the  stable, 
and  having  taken  an  early  tea  he  said  he  wanted 
nothing  but  a  sight  of  the  fire  and  leave  to 
smoke. 

No  debatable  subject  had  been  touched  when 
Conyngham  startled  Ruth  from  her  composure  by 
the  suggestion  that  a  great  drought  was  impending. 

'Yes,  I  read  something  of  it  in  the  papers,'  said 
Toland,  contemptuously,  'but  I've  never  seen  the 
crops  look  better.  And  what  do  astronomers  know 
about  it  anyhow  ? ' 

'  Not  half  so  much  as  farmers,  of  course,'  answered 
Conyngham.  '  Have  you  got  in  much  crop?' 

'  More  than  I  ever  had  before — over  two  hundred 
acres.' 

'  Then  for  your  sake  I  hope  it  will  keep  off  a  year, 
though  if  not  an  ear  of  wheat  filled  this  season  it 
would  be  a  merciful  providence — to  use  a  cant  phrase 
— for  many  of  our  friends.' 

'  Why  ?  '  asked  Ruth. 

'  Because  they  would  have  to  go  quicker  and  get 
an  early  start  clearing  land  for  a  new  mortgagee ; 
and  they  might  have  the  luck  to  be  sold  up  on  the 
second  occasion  by  a  more  estimable  man  than 
Mallock.  He  is  a-  horrid  cad,  to  whom  I  should 
really  grudge  handing  over  my  land — if  I  were  un- 
fortunate enough  to  possess  any.' 

'What  a  miserable  view  to  take,'  sighed  Ruth. 

Toland  poked  the  fire  viciously.  '  But  a  true  one,' 
he  said.  '  It's  Mallock  and  Harlin  have  ruined  this 
district.' 

'  Mallock,  I  grant  you — with  reservations,'  said 
Conyngham,  flicking  a  spark  off  his  knee,  '  but  why 
Harlin?' 


,  1 8  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  You  were  not  at  the  ballot  or  you  would  not  ask 
that.' 

Mrs  Toland  knitted  on,  resigning  herself  to  one  of 
the  outbursts  which  the  memory  of  the  ballot,  only 
graven  deeper  by  years,  usually  provoked  from  her 
husband. 

'  I  was  not  at  the  ballot,'  said  Conyngham,  quietly, 
'  but  I  know  what  happened  there.  And  what  does 
it  amount  to  after  all  ?  That  Harlin  got  back  some 
thousands  of  acres,  which  he  is  paying  for  and  making 
money  out  of,  and  prevented  the  land  going  to  thirty 
or  forty  poor  beggars  who  would  probably  have  been 
sold  up,  before  they  had  paid  the  Government,  by 
Mallock  or  someone  of  that  breed.  I  prefer  that  it 
should  remain  in  the  hands  of  a  comparatively  decent 
man  like  Harlin.' 

This  view  of  the  matter  staggered  Toland.  '  Then 
do  you  mean  to  say  the  whole  thing  wasn't  a  low 
swindle?'  he  asked  hotly. 

Conyngham  shrugged  his  shoulders.  '  What  does 
it  matter  ?  It  has  done  no  harm.  Selectors  who  did 
get  a  chance  on  those  flats  have  gone — more  tempta- 
tion to  borrow.  You  who  didn't  are  as  flourishing  as 
almost  any  of  them,  here  where  you've  had  to  work  a 
little  harder.' 

Ruth  felt  it  almost  a  sacrilege  on  Conyngham's 
part  to  thus  belittle  the  grievance  which  her  husband 
had  hugged  so  closely  for  all  these  years.  Thoughts 
like  those  expressed  by  the  schoolmaster  had  some- 
times occurred  to  her,  but  she  had  not  dared  utter 
them. 

1  Then  you,  who  I  thought  a  radical,  are  a  defender 
of  land  monopoly  and  fraud.  We  live  and  learn,' 
sneered  Toland. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  119 

'  Pardon  me,  no,  but  I  consider  it  a  pity  to  waste 
on  an  individual  and  an  incident  such  healthily  bitter 
animosity  which  is  due  to  society  and  a  system.' 

'  I  hate  Harlin,'  persisted  Toland,  doggedly.  '  Why 
should  he  grow  rich  by  a  swindle,  and,  being  rich, 
sneer  at  us  and  look  down  on  us  as  if  he  were  a 
better  man?' 

Conyngham  paused  to  re-light  his  pipe  and  took  a 
few  meditative  whiffs.  '  That  speech,  my  friend,'  he 
said,  '  is  an  example  of  what  we  call  in  logic  the 
fallacy  of  many  questions.  First,  what  you  call  a 
swindle  was  according  to  law,  which  we  all  make 
the  best  use  of  to  our  own  ends.  Second,  I  am 
not  aware  that  he  does  sneer  at  us  and  look  down 
on  us.  Third,  the  rich  not  only  consider  themselves 
better,  but  actually  are  better  than  the  poor.' 

'  Do  you  really  believe  that  ? '  asked  Ruth,  wonder- 
ingly,  as  a  picture  of  what  Harlin  really  was  flashed 
before  her. 

'  He  doesn't,  Ruth.  He  only  wants  to  stir  up  an 
argument,'  exclaimed  Toland,  rising  impatiently. 
'  Why  don't  those  children  come  home,  I  wonder  ? ' 

'  Certainly  I  do,  on  the  average,  Mrs  Toland,' 
answered  Conyngham,  turning  to  her  with  a  smile; 
'  and  if  your  good  husband  will  only  contain  himself 
I  shall  try  to  explain  why.' 

Toland  flung  himself  into  his  chair  again  with  a 
grunt  of  disdain. 

'  I  should  have  thought  you,  Toland,'  continued 
Conyngham,  with  friendly  sarcasm,  '  were  sufficiently 
a  philosopher  to  pity,  rather  than  hate,  people  who 
only  thought  themselves  better  than  you.  What 
gravels  me,'  he  added  with  more  warmth,  'is  that 
they  really  are  better,  take  it  what  way  you  will.  I 


120  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

am  what  is  called  an  educated  man.  Is  not  the  man 
with  some  thousands  a  year  and  my  attainments,  such 
as  they  are,  a  better  man  than  I  ?  Travel  stores  his 
mind  and  trains  his  eye.  Leisure  gives  him  time  for 
thought.  Books  and  pictures  form  his  tastes.  Wealth 
gives  him  fearlessness,  independence,  good  clothes, 
good  friends,  good  physique,  power  of  usefulness  to 
others — everything  in  fact  that  goes  to  make  a  man.' 

'  Money  gives  means  to  do  things,'  assented  Toland, 
grudgingly. 

'  And  what  can  be  done  without  the  means  ?  You 
are  a  good  farmer.  Will  you  tell  me  that  with  three 
times  the  money  you  would  not  be  a  better  one,  besides 
ridding  your  mind  of  much  perilous  stuff  and  storing 
it  with  something  more  wholesome  ?  Are  some  of  the 
poor  wretches  about  us  here,  that  slave  from  daylight 
to  dark,  men  at  all  ?  That's  what  I  mean  by  saying 
that  the  rich  are  better  than  the  poor,  and  that  they 
and  we  are  fools  if  we  fail  to  recognise  it.' 

He  paused  for  breath  and  Toland  smoked  on,  sul- 
len and  thoughtful. 

'  But  what  about  morals,  Mr  Conyngham  ? '  put  in 
Ruth,  timidly. 

'  They  depend  on  physical  well-being.' 

'  The  French  nobles  before  the  Revolution  were 
well  enough  fed  and  clothed,  weren't  they  ? '  asked 
Toland,  'and  yet  we  don't  read  that  they  were  exactly 
angels.' 

1  Well,  my  friend,'  said  Conyngham,  smiling,  c  the 
sans-culottes  gave  many  of  them  every  chance  to 
become  so.  But  they  bear  out  what  I  have  said,  for 
everything  is  a  matter  of  comparison.  The  noblesse 
were  callous  to  suffering  and  bloodshed  ;  the  peasants 
enjoyed  it.  The  noblesse  took  it  easy  in  the  matter 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  121 

of  religion ;  the  peasants  stamped  religion  out. 
Morals  were  rather  lax  in  some  of  the  old  houses 
—in  many  of  the  poor  cottages  they  did  not  know 
what  morals  meant.  And  to  come  nearer  home, 
do  you  know  a  harder  task-master  than  the  very 
poor  man  who  gets  a  poorer  to  do  a  job  for  him  ? ' 

'  But  I  thought  you  believed  in  the  rights  of  man 
and  the  nobility  of  labour  ? '  said  Toland,  puzzled,  but 
unconvinced,  and  shelving  the  matter  in  dispute. 

'So  I  do,'  returned  Conyngham.  'It's  potential 
nobility,  when  it  becomes,  under  fair  conditions,  the 
lot  of  everyone.  I  daresay  I  hate  the  common 
labourer  of  to-day  much  more  than  your  friend 
Harlin,  or  any  other  of  your  pet  tyrants,  does.  He 
washes  less  than  is  desirable — spits  a  great  deal 
more.  He  is  weak  in  knowledge  and  in  aims.  In 
fact,  his  language  is  the  only  strong  thing  about 
him.' 

'  What's  the  use  of  blackguarding  him  ? '  asked 
Toland.  '  Wouldn't  it  be  better  to  do  something  to 
help  ? ' 

'  What's  the  use  of  shutting  my  eyes  to  facts  ?  I 
help  in  what  ways  I  can,  by  never  concealing  from 
him  my  opinion.  And  my  opinion  will  be  true  till 
farmers  and  working  men  wake  up  a  little  and  make 
use  of  the  liberty  they  boast  of.  It's  not  Harlin — not 
even  Mallock  who  are  to  blame  for  evictions  here, 
but  the  cowardly  fools — the  rest  of  the  people,  includ- 
ing ourselves — who  have  allowed  the  Victorian  land  to 
be  parcelled  out  into  private  hands  at  all.  The  time 
had  not  come  for  farming  here,  hundreds  of  miles 
from  the  seaboard.  Your  grievance,  that  you  are  not 
on  better  land,  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  nearer  to 
Tongalong — real  enough  in  its  way — is  a  petty  one 


122 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 


compared  with  the  great  one  you  placidly  swallow — 
that  the  squatters  have  the  land  near  Melbourne, 
which  should  have  been  rented  to  them  till  it  was 
rented  to  men  who  wanted  farms,  when  the  sheep 
would  go  further  afield.  Then  we  should  have  known 
no  evictions  in  the  Tonga  Valley.  Harlin  might 
have  been  left  in  possession  of  his  land,  without  the 
temptation  or  the  means  to  become  the  fraudulent 
owner  of  it,  until  his  time  came — years  hence, 
perhaps — and  you  might  have  been  driving  your 
plough  on  green  hill  sides  near  Melbourne,  in  sight 
of  the  shipping  in  the  bay.' 

Toland  and  Ruth  watched  Conyngham  in  silence, 
vaguely  stirred  by  the  fire  in  his  eyes  and  the  ring 
in  his  tones  as  he  sat  up  in  his  chair  and  waved 
his  pipe,  with  smoke  curling  from  the  bowl,  over  an 
imaginary  landscape  dotted  with  smiling  farms  and 
orchards.  Ruth  only  half  understood,  but,  like  her 
husband,  she  was  carried  back  to  days  long  ago,  when 
he  too  raised  his  voice,  blindly,  perhaps,  but  groping 
after  truth,  against  the  gigantic  robbery  of  men's 
rights  in  the  soil,  before  much  dwelling  on  wrongs 
personal  to  himself  and  neighbours  had  narrowed  his 
outlook,  almost  transmuting  hatred  of  injustice  and 
longing  for  the  general  weal  into  hatred  of  more 
prosperous  men  and  a  longing  for  revenge.  It  came 
home  to  him  that  his  ideals  were  vanishing  and  that 
his  aims  of  late  years  stood  on  a  lower  plane  than 
those  of  his  hopeful  youth. 

'All  that  might  be,'  he  said  moodily,  'but  what 
good  is  it  to  us  ?  What  can  we  do  ?  The  land  is 
gone — jobbed  away  to  each  other  by  your  "  better 
classes,"  and  we  will  never  get  it  back  again.' 

Conyngham  laughed.      '  Of  course  not,   my  dear 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  123 

fellow — not  till  you  and  I  are  dead  and  fifty  years 
have  gone  at  least.  I  am  afraid  I  was  almost  guilty 
of  being  in  earnest  just  now,  which  was  very  weak 
of  me.' 

Ruth  was  disappointed.  '  Don't  say  that,  Mr 
Conyngham.  Surely  there  is  something  to  strive 
and  hope  for  even  now.' 

'  Yes  ;  I  should  advise  your  husband  to  strive  all 
he  can  to  hold  the  land  he  has,  and  to  hope  for  more 
when  the  other  cockies  go  under,  so  that  he  may 
become  a  grazier  and  a  well-thought-of  man  like 
Mallock  or  Harlin  in  time.  Talking  of  Harlin — why 
don't  you  let  Mabel  go  sometimes  to  Kumbarra? 
Mrs  Harlin  told  me  she  had  asked  you.' 

Ruth  laughed  nervously.  '  Ask  my  husband,'  she 
said. 

'  I  dislike  Harlin.  We  are  in  different  spheres  and 
I  don't  choose  her  to  go  where  she  can't  go  as  an 
equal/  replied  Toland,  aggressively. 

Conyngham  raised  his  eyebrows.  '  It's  not  my 
business,  of  course,'  he  said,  '  but  if  she  were  my 
daughter  I'd  let  her  go.  Not  that  I  believe  it  would 
make  much  difference  after  all,'  he  laughed, '  for  Miss 
Mabel  has  a  will  of  her  own  and  something  of  her 
father's  queer  notions.  I  overheard  a  remark  of  hers 
about  squatters  that  terribly  shocked  her  aunt.' 

'  What  was  it  ? '  asked  Ruth,  smiling,  glad  to 
observe  the  soothing  influence  that  the  knowledge 
of  Mabel's  sympathy  had  upon  her  husband. 

'  I  really  think  you'd  better  ask  her,  Mrs  Toland. 
It  would  not  be  fair  for  me  to  tell  tales.'  Conyng- 
ham rose  from  his  chair  and  looked  at  his  watch. 
'  Do  you  know  it's  nearly  ten  ?  Time  flies  in  dis- 
cussion and  I  think  I  must  go  for  my  horse.' 


J24  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  Let  me  get  you  some  supper  first,  at  least.'  Mrs 
Toland  went  to  a  cupboard  by  the  wall,  and  her 
husband  opened  the  door,  letting  in  a  cold  blast  of 
frost-laden  air. 

'Crisp  and  clear,'  he  said;  'a  grand  night  for  a 
ride.  Hullo!  What's  this  in  such  a  hurry?  Joe 
and  Mabel  don't  ride  like  that' 

Trembling  from  head  to  foot,  Ruth  put  down  the 
plates  with  a  clatter  and  rushed  out  to  join  her 
husband  on  the  verandah. 

'  What  is  it,  John  ?  What  is  it? '  she  cried,  clutch- 
ing nervously  at  his  arm. 

Conyngham,  who  had  also  left  the  room  when  his 
ear  caught  the  ring  of  galloping  hoofs,  answered  her 
question. 

'  Someone  in  a  great  haste,'  he  said, '  and  alone.' 

The  little  group  on  the  verandah  was  silent. 
There  seemed  a  premonition  of  evil  in  that  furious 
gallop,  for  bad  news  travel  fastest.  Ruth  clung  to 
her  husband  and  prayed.  Toland  stood  sullen  and 
dogged,  awaiting  a  blow,  ready  to  curse  God  if  it 
should  fall.  Conyngham  was  wrapped  in  foreboding 
conjecture,  and  suddenly  his  thoughts  flew  to  the 
swollen  river,  making  the  night  musical  with  its 
murmur  through  the  trees. 

The  horseman  was  further  distant  than  he  seemed. 
For  a  few  seconds  the  hoof-beats  died  away  in  a 
hollow ;  then  they  sounded  loud  again  on  the  upland 
and  the  listeners  knew  the  rider  was  nearing  the  gate 
half  a  mile  from  the  house, 

'Jumped  it,  by  Heaven!'  muttered  Toland, 
presently,  realising  that  the  time  for  the  awaited 
pause  had  gone  by.  '  He's  on  nothing  from  Grimsby 
Farm.' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  125 

The  suspense  grew  agonising.  The  gallop  rang  in 
their  ears,  there  was  a  loud,  brief  splash.  That  meant 
the  crossing  at  the  muddy  watercourse  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  away.  The  shoes  rang  again  on  the  frosty 
gravel,  and  then  for  the  expectant  trio  sound  lost  its 
import  as  they  fastened  their  eyes  on  the  figure  show- 
ing against  the  sky  on  the  moonlit  rise. 

The  schoolmaster  recognised  him  first.  '  It's 
young  Harlin,'  he  said.  '  I  know  the  mare's  gait 
— and  he  was  at  Scott's  to-night.' 

Toland  turned  sharply.  '  Damn  him  if  he  brings 
me  bad  news  !  Curse  him ! '  he  hissed.  '  Am  I 
ever  to  have  these  people  cross  my  path?' 

'  Hush,  man  ! '  said  Conyngham,  sternly.  '  Look 
after  your  wife.' 

Toland's  arm  went  round  Ruth  where  they  stood 
at  the  garden  gate,  and  in  three  strides  the  school- 
master stood  beside  young  Harlin,  with  his  hand 
on  the  horse's  foam  -  flecked  bridle.  Harlin  was 
dripping  from  head  to  foot  and  panting  from  the 
stress  of  his  furious  ride.  He  gasped  out  a  few 
sentences,  but  in  spite  of  Conyngham's  injunction 
to  speak  low,  Ruth's  straining  ears  had  caught  a 
word. 

'Drowned  ! '  she  cried.     '  Oh,  my  darlings  ! ' 

'Not  your  children,'  came  Conyngham's  sharp, 
clear  voice.  '  It's  young  Bess  Scott' 

'  Thank  God  ! '  muttered  Toland,  and  Ruth  fainted 
in  his  arms. 

Conyngham  gave  one  glance  behind  him.  '  Human 
nature,'  he  said  to  himself  with  a  hard  little  laugh ; 
aloud,  '  Look  here,  my  young  friend ' — addressing 
Harlin — 'next  time  you  are  privileged  to  be  the 
bearer  of  bad  news  don't  be  in  quite  such  a  hurry  with 


i26  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

it.  Those  unfortunate  people  have  lived  through  half 
a  dozen  deaths  in  that  theatrical  gallop  of  yours.' 

'  Anyway,  I  saved  their  daughter's  life  in  the  river,' 
said  the  boy,  sulkily  aggrieved. 

1  You're  a  fine  fellow,  then  ' — Conyngham's  hand- 
grip made  Harlin  wince.  '  It's  a  pity  you  didn't  tell 
us  that  first  and  come  something  under  thirty  miles 
an  hour  to  tell  it  Now,  give  me  the  details  as  I  go 
with  you  to  the  stable.  Mr  and  Mrs  Toland  will  be 
best  alone  for  a  little  while.' 

They  walked  a  few  steps  in  silence. 

'  Don't  by  chance  mention  you  heard  Mr  Toland 
thank  God  his  sister's  child  was  drowned  instead  of 
his,'  said  Conyngham,  lifting  the  wire  from  the 
yard  gate. 

'  I  expect  he  only  meant  thank  God  his  own  were 
safe,'  replied  the  boy.  '  Anyway,  he  could  say  so.' 

'  I  can't  swear  what  he  meant — but  I  expect  he 
wouldn't  say  so,'  answered  Conyngham,  dryly.  'At 
anyrate,  don't  give  him  the  chance.' 


CHAPTER    IV 

THE  river  babbled  joyously  down  the  long  reach 
below  the  crossing  where  Bessie  Scott  had  been 
swept  from  her  horse  only  a  few  hours  before.  Sand- 
banks strewn  with  quartz  pebbles  washed  bright  by 
the  fresh  water  glistened  in  the  sunlight.  A  golden 
blaze  of  wattle  bloom  from  the  thickets  that  edged 

O 

the  shore  gave  colour  to  all  the  sombre  scrub  and 
filled  the  air  with  scent.  The  overhead  sun  forced 
its  rays  even  into  the  thick  blackwoods,  finding  vivid 
green  traced  with  darker  veins  in  the  semi-trans- 
parency of  the  young  leaves.  Everywhere — in  the 
black,  steaming  soil,  the  uncurling  bracken  fronds, 
the  twitter  of  nesting  birds— breathed  the  spirit  of  life 
and  spring,  while  all  the  men  folk  of  the  Tonga 
Valley  were  gathered  to  search  for  the  body. 

George  Scott  was  there,  dressed  in  his  best  suit  of 
black,  a  sense  of  importance  overlying  his  grief  as  he 
stood  beside  the  police  constable  from  Tongalong  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  stream.  A  rope  stretched  over 
the  river  was  fastened  to  the  nose  of  a  flat-bottomed 
boat,  and  a  knot  of  men  and  boys,  holding  the  cable 
ends,  paid  out  more  line  or  hauled  it  taut  as  the 
hands  in  the  boat  with  the  grappling-hooks  signalled 
their  wish  to  explore  this  part  or  that  of  the  deep, 
swirling  stream. 

The  search  had  begun  with  daylight  and  each  hour 
added  to  the  crowd  of  the  sympathetic  and  curious 

127 


i28  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

who  mustered  from  every  farm  to  give  time  and 
labour  for  the  recovery  of  a  dead  body,  not  one 
tithe  of  which  would  the  joint  community  have 
expended  on  the  most  urgent  living  appeal  of  the 
best-regarded  man  or  woman  in  the  valley. 

It  had  been  a  solemn,  serious  business  at  first. 
Men  in  their  best  clothes,  straggling  down  in  twos 
and  threes,  said  some  awkward  words  of  sympathy 
to  Scott,  longing  for  a  pipe  but  not  sure  whether 
smoking  would  be  respectful  in  the  presence  of 
death,  which,  till  more  should  be  known,  imbued  all 
the  river  below  the  ford  with  stimulating  mystery. 
Then  the  boat  arrived  on  a  dray  from  a  bridge  that 
was  building  miles  down  the  river  and  work  really 
began.  The  constable  came  from  Tongalong  to 
spread  over  the  proceedings  the  aegis  of  constituted 
authority,  comforting  in  a  vague  way  to  Scott  though 
Constable  Scanlan  did  nothing  but  loll  at  ease  with 
his  helmet  glinting  officially  in  the  sun,  occasionally 
giving  a  suggestion  or  order  that  few  heard  and  none 
heeded. 

Soon  a  tobacco-loving  casuist,  reckoning  that  the 
greatest  stickler  for  etiquette  could  have  no  call  to 
complain  if  he  went  above  the  ford,  for  Bess's  body 
could  by  no  possibility  be  there,  squatted  himself  on 
a  moss-grown  log  and  lit  a  pipe.  The  scent  of  black 
Derby  found  its  way  to  the  nostrils  of  others,  who 
grasped  the  example  set  without  its  delicate  limita- 
tions, and  all  around  blue  clouds  of  smoke,  mingling 
their  fragrance  with  the  wattle  blossom's,  floated  into 
the  still  air.  Tongues  were  loosened  from  the  idling 
groups  ;  human  laughter  now  and  then  answered  the 
jackasses;  advice,  jocular  as  well  as  serious,  was 
bawled  to  the  men  in  the  boat ;  rude  chaff  saluted  the 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  129 

rope-holders  when  they  came  to  grief  in  their  scrambles 
through  the  scrub  to  let  the  boat  drift  down  the  river, 
and  when  the  grappling-irons  hooked  something  in  a 
dark  pool  by  a  sunken  tree,  and  strong  pairs  of  strain- 
ing arms  hauled  the  rope  in  hand  over  hand,  only  to 
bring  to  the  surface  a  slimy,  water-logged  branch,  the 
expectant  silence  reigning  was  broken  by  a  loud 
guffaw. 

By  two  o'clock  there  were  sixty  or  seventy  men 
and  a  sprinkling  of  women  on  the  scene,  which  sug- 
gested rather  a  picnic  outing  than  preliminaries  to  a 
funeral.  Some  of  the  smaller  boys  were  playing  at 
drowning,  and  there  were  gallant  rescues  of  floating 
sticks  in  shallows  where  the  river  widened. 

Rupert  Harlin  and  Joe,  as  spectators  of  the 
tragedy,  were  constantly  appealed  to  for  the  story, 
by  the  inquisitive  and  the  helpful,  till  they  grew 
weary  of  the  telling. 

It  had  been  always  a  nasty  crossing,  and  but  that 
the  moon  was  not  high  enough  above  the  trees  they 
would  have  seen  that  the  water  coming  down  made 
it  unsafe  to  attempt.  Harlin  had  led  the  way  into 
the  ford,  Mabel  and  Bess  following  him,  and  Joe 
bringing  up  the  rear.  The  younger  boy  had  not  left 
the  bank  when  he  saw  Harlin  sink  to  his  waist  in  a 
great  hole  washed  out  by  the  force  of  the  backed-up 
current,  where  it  swept  round  a  tree  stranded  by  the 
flood  above  the  crossing.  For  a  confused  second  or 
two  the  others  sat  their  frightened  horses.  Harlin 
called  loudly  to  them  to  go  back  as  he  turned  his 
own  horse's  head  to  the  shore.  Bess  lost  control  of 
the  nervous  filly  she  rode.  It  stumbled,  recovered 
itself,  and,  flinging  up  its  head,  struck  her  on  the  fore- 
head as  she  bent  over  its  neck  trying  to  keep  her  seat 

I 


1 30  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Her  hands  released  their  grasp  of  reins  and  pommel, 
and,  as  the  moon  shone  clearer,  little  Joe,  who  made 
a  gallant  attempt  to  reach  his  cousin,  saw  her  head 
fall  on  her  chest.  Her  balance  went  and  the  unfor- 
tunate girl  fell  backwards  over  the  off  flanks  of  her 
mare  into  the  stream  that  swept  her  past,  almost 
within  reach  of  Joe's  outstretched  hand.  Harlin  saw 
it  too.  Saw,  too,  in  horror,  that  Mabel's  horse  was 
plunging  with  her  into  the  wash-out.  Just  in  time  to 
save  her  by  driving  the  spurs  rowel  deep,  he  dragged 
the  girl  from  her  saddle  across  the  pommel  of  his  own, 
and  reached  shallow  water  in  safety.  Then  the  two 
boys  ran  scrambling  through  the  scrub  cooeying  and 
calling  to  Bess.  But  all  in  vain ;  there  came  no  an- 

o  ' 

swering  cry,  only  the  roar  of  the  river  as  it  swept 
relentlessly  on  its  way.  Abandoning  the  search,  the 
boys  returned  to  the  ford,  and  when  the  horses  were 
caught  Mabel  rode  back,  shivering  and  crying,  with 
Joe  to  break  the  news  to  her  aunt,  while  Harlin  faced 
the  river  again  and  started  on  his  gallop  to  Grimsby 
Farm. 

Mabel  and  Mrs  Toland  were  now  at  Scott's  doing 
their  best  to  comfort  the  bereaved  mother  and  the 
other  children.  The  eldest  boy  was  with  his  father, 
feeling  a  dreadful  interest  in  the  proceedings,  less 
conscious  of  grief  for  his  sister  than  of  the  melancholy 
prominence  he  and  his  family  had  attained  amongst 
the  neighbours.  Then  his  eye  fell  on  the  dray,  driven 
slowly  up  and  backed  down  to  the  river,  with  their 
old  draught  horse  in  the  shafts.  He  saw  a  straw 
mattress  with  a  great  sheet  folded  upon  it,  and  burst 
into  a  torrent  of  boyish  tears  as  he  realised  more 
vividly  the  dreary  result  of  success  so  complacently 
looked  for  by  the  men  scraping  and  prodding  the 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  131 

river  bed  with  the  grappling-hooks  and  barb-headed 
poles. 

Toland  had  early  left  the  crowd  and  made  his  way 
down  stream,  forcing  a  path  through  the  scrub,  and 
peering  with  expectant  dread  into  holes  where  the 
current  eddied  round  logs  and  rotting  heads  of  trees. 
Looking  once  across  the  river,  he  saw  on  the  other 
bank  the  schoolmaster,  with  men  from  a  neighbouring 
farm,  engaged  on  a  similar  quest.  His  thoughts  went 
back  vividly  to  the  arrival  of  the  news  on  the  previous 
night,  and  he  tried  to  realise  what  it  would  mean 
were  Mabel  instead  of  Bess  lying  in  those  cold  depths. 
He  could  not  bear  it  as  Scott  was  doing,  he  felt  sure. 
He  was  almost  angry  with  his  brother-in-law  for 
accepting  help  from  all  these  meddlesome,  well- 
meaning  fools.  He  would  not  allow  one  of  them 
about  him  were  Mabel  in  the  river.  He  told  himself 
he  would  drive  them  all  away,  and  she  should  stay 
there  until  he  could  find  her  and  bear  her  home  in 
his  own  arms ;  and  probably,  but  for  Squatter 
Harlin's  son,  there  would  she  be,  side  by  side  with  his 
poor  little  niece.  He  remembered  with  shame  his 
snarling  curse  on  the  boy  as  the  bearer  of  bad  news. 
The  conversations  with  his  wife  and  Conyngham — 
all  the  experiences  of  the  past  night  came  home  to 
him.  They  seemed  psychological  mile-stones  mark- 
ing stages  on  roads  he  must  travel  no  further — 
crossing  of  his  dear  wife's  wishes — growing  bitterness 
towards  his  fellow-men  and  exaggeration  of  his  own 
small  ills  at  their  hands.  The  long-cherished  grudge 
against  the  Harlins  had  grown  too  strong  to  be 
suddenly  uprooted,  but  he  could  cease  to  think 
bitterly  of  them  by  not  thinking  at  all,  and  if  he 
told  himself  every  day  that  he  was  grateful,  perhaps 


1 3  2  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

in  time  he  would  become  so.  At  least  he  would 
cease  to  weary  Ruth  with  his  complaining ;  he  could 
be  more  tender  and  forbearing.  The  look  almost  of 
fear  which  he  had  surprised  once  or  twice  on  her 
face  pained  and  shamed  him,  so  that  tears  of  pity 
for  her,  and  anger  against  himself,  stood  in  his  eyes. 
He  knew  that  with  her  dying  breath  she  would 
declare  him  the  kindest  and  best  of  husbands  ;  and  the 
newly-awakened  consciousness  of  how  lamentably 
short  he  had  fallen  in  each  day's  possibilities,  putting 
quite  aside  his  long-ago  ideals,  kept  him  company 
all  through  his  journey  down  the  river  bank. 

When  he  began  to  retrace  his  steps  early  sunset 
had  left  the  dark  pools  more  forbidding ;  all  light  and 
colour  had  receded  to  the  inaccessible  hilltops,  and 
to  Toland's  mood  it  seemed  symbolic  of  life — bright 
things  always  in  the  distance  and  the  sombre  close  at 
hand.  By  the  time  he  reached  the  crossing  dusk  was 
drawing  on  and  the  river  banks  were  deserted.  An 
hour  before  the  body  had  been  found,  beneath  a  great 
blackwood,  which  had  caught  the  girl's  hat  in  its 
overhanging  branches,  where  they  dipped  in  the 
swollen  stream,  and  the  searchers  had  dispersed  to 
their  homes.  Toland  looked  about  him  and  con- 
cluded that  a  cooey  he  had  vaguely  heard,  while 
still  wending  his  way  downwards,  had  been  meant 
to  announce  the  sad  news  of  success.  He  heaved  a 
sigh  of  pity  for  poor  Bess,  of  gladness  that  he  had  not 
been  there  to  see,  and  then  unbuckling  the  reins  from 
a  sapling  in  the  wattle  grove,  he  mounted  his  horse 
and  rode  across  the  river.  Beached  in  a  gravelly 
nook  he  saw  the  boat,  and  it  was  still  light  enough 
to  distinguish  wheel  marks  made  by  the  dray  on  the 
sandy  track  through  the  scrub.  He  followed  them  at 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  133 

a  walking  pace,  not  wishing  to  overtake  the  pro- 
cession with  the  ,body,  and  it  was  late  when  he 
reached  the  outer  gate  of  Scott's  farm  and  saw  the 
twinkling  lights  of  the  homestead.  There  he  realised 
with  wonder  how  little  true  sorrow  he  was  feeling. 
Had  he  become  so  self-centered  that  no  disaster, 
unless  it  touched  him  personally,  could  really  stir 
the  emotions  that  responded  fiercely  to  even  a  distant 
echo  from  a  stranger's  defeat  in  the  battle  to  make  a 
home? 

There  was  something  uncanny,  almost  prophetic, 
in  the  ascendency  which  he  now  realised  one  theme 
of  thought  and  aspiration  had  insidiously  gained  over 
all  others  in  his  consciousness.  The  conversation 
with  Conyngham  had  brought  it  home  to  him  and 
made  it  seem  not  quite  so  noble.  His  selfish  in- 
ability to  feel  real  grief  for  this  young  life,  snatched 
senselessly  from  one  to  whom  it  was  bright  and  dear, 
made  him  angry  and  ashamed.  He  knew  that  the 
John  Toland  of  ten  years  back  would  have  been 
stirred  to  the  depths  of  his  nature  by  the  pity 
of  it. 

A  light  was  burning  in  the  great  shed  where  Scott 
kept  his  waggon,  his  binder  and  smaller  farm  imple- 
ments. Toland  looked  in  through  the  half-closed 
door,  unseen.  At  the  carpenter's  bench,  in  one 
corner,  Scott  was  at  work.  Several  Murray-pine 
boards  stood  beside  him.  He  relit  his  pipe,  sighed 
heavily,  and  then  with  a  tradesman's  touch  ran  his 
carpenter's  pencil  across  the  line,  marking  the  length 
of  a  head  board  for  the  coffin. 

Toland  changed  his  intention  of  entering  and  turned 
away  with  a  shiver  of  repulsion.  But  after  all,  why 
not?  Someone  must  do  it.  Scott  was  a  carpenter 


1 34  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

by  trade— and  he  always  liked  to  save  money  when 
he  could.  A  few  moments  later  Toland  knocked 
softly  at  the  kitchen  door.  There  was  no  answer,  but 
he  thought  he  heard  a  sob  and  entered  the  room.  No 
fire  was  on  the  hearth  ;  a  single  candle  on  the  dresser 
showed  Bess  seated  at  the  bare  table,  her  hair  in 
disorder,  her  still  comely  face  buried  in  her  hands,  in 
the  utter  abandonment  of  grief.  She  looked  up  at 
her  brother,  years  older,  it  appeared  to  him,  than 
yesterday. 

'  Oh,  John  ! '  she  whispered, 

'  Poor  Bess  lass ! '  He  held  out  his  arms,  and  as  she 
sobbed  on  his  shoulder  his  capacity  for  sorrow  re- 
turned to  him.  That  he  had  a  sister  whom  he  dearly 
loved,  and  that  he  was  a  man  of  flesh  and  blood  apart 
from  any  spot  of  earth  he  trod,  were  truths  into  which 
old  meanings  came  crowding  that  he  had  not  known 
for  years. 

Presently  Bess  put  her  hands  on  his  shoulders  and 
pushed  herself  away  from  him. 

'John,'  she  said  in  a  dreamy  voice,  looking  into  his 
eyes,  '  I  am  glad  it  wasn't  Mabel.  I'm  a  woman  and 
can  bear  it,  but  you're  only  a  man — and  you — you'd 
have  gone  mad.' 

And  this  was  the  character  he  had  looked  down 
upon  with  affectionate  half  contempt !  His  '  Thank 
God  ! '  of  the  night  before,  when  the  news  came  that 
one  had  been  taken  and  the  other  left,  echoed  mock- 
ingly in  his  ears.  He  almost  fiercely  forced  her  head 
down  to  his  shoulder  that  he  might  not  see  her  eyes. 

'  For  pity's  sake  don't,  Bess !  You  will  send  me 
mad  now.' 

Ruth  heard  the  voices.  She  and  Mabel  were  com- 
forting the  children  in  the  antimacassared  parlour, 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  135 

appropriated  to  the  dignity  of  grief.  She  looked  into 
the  kitchen  with  a  wife's  pang  of  jealousy  at  brother 
and  sister  drawn  so  close  together.  It  would  be 
sacrilege  to  disturb  them,  and,  touching  the  corners 
of  her  eyes  with  her  apron,  she  withdrew  as  softly  as 
she  came.  She  could  not  go  back  to  face  the  crying 
children.  There  was  more  peace  and  company  in  the 
bedroom,  where  she  went  to  snuff  a  guttering  candle 
beside  the  bed  on  which  little  Bessie  lay. 


CHAPTER    V 

'  MAB,  I  want  you  to  take  the  lunch  to  your  father. 
Here  are  some  scones  for  him  and  a  piece  of  plum 
duff  for  Joe.' 

Mab  took  the  basket  containing  the  'lunch' — a 
bush  term  for  any  refreshment  between  meals — and 
made  her  way  through  the  wheat  crop  to  the  latest 
piece  of  clearing,  where  Toland  and  Joe  were  hard  at 
work  trying  to  get  the  last  of  the  maize  sown  before 
night.  Joe  was  dropping  the  seed  into  the  furrows 
ahead  of  his  father,  who  was  harrowing,  and  for  some 
time  his  glance  had  been  frequently  directed  home- 
wards, as,  boylike,  he  looked  forward  to  the  break  in 
his  monotonous  work. 

When  Mab  appeared  round  a  clump  of  trees  he 
walked  over  to  his  father. 

'  I'll  take  the  horses,  father,  while  you  have  your 
lunch.' 

'  All  right,  my  boy,  keep  them  going,  and  don't  let 
the  harrows  get  foul.' 

Joe  took  the  reins  and  Toland  joined  Mab,  who  had 
seated  herself  in  the  shade  of  a  blackwood  on  the  un- 
ploughed  headland.  He  spent  but  a  few  minutes  in 
having  a  cup  of  tea  and  rilling  his  pipe,  and  then  Joe 
took  his  place. 

'  What  have  you  got,  Mab  ?  Anything  worth  eat- 
ing ? '  he  asked,  throwing  himself  on  the  grass. 

'  Oh,  there  are  some  scones  for  you.' 
136 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  137 

'  I  say,  what  rot !  We  always  have  scones.  You 
might  make  a  chap  some  brownie  sometimes.  Hullo  ! 
what's  that  you're  keeping  in  the  basket  for  yourself? ' 

'  Only  some  plum  duff  mother  sent  for  you.' 

'  By  Jove  !  mother's  a  good  sort,  isn't  she,  Mab  ?  ' 
said  Joe,  helping  himself  to  his  favourite  indigestible. 
'  You  wouldn't  have  thought  of  me  like  that.' 

'  I  don't  suppose  I  would  have  thought  you  worth 
bothering  about,'  said  Mab,  smiling  good-naturedly. 

'  Oh,  no,  of  course  you  wouldn't ;  but  if  Rupert 
Harlin  had  been  having  lunch  with  me  you  would 
have  bothered  all  right — like  the  day  we  went  out 
kangarooing  together  and  I  got  such  a  doing  from 
the  boss  for  not  telling  him.  Why,  the  feed  you  put 
up  was  worth  the  row,  and  Rupert  Harlin  said  I  was 
lucky  to  have  a  sister  like  that — and  I  said  he  might 
have  you  for  the  asking.' 

'Joe,  I'll  box  your  ears,'  said  Mab,  blushing. 

'  And  we  always  have  a  tip-top  spread  when  Mr 
Conyngham's  here,  but  when  it's  only  me  you  don't 
bother.' 

'  I  don't  believe  you  care  for  anything  but  eating 
and  drinking,  Joe,'  said  Mab. 

'  Yes,  I  do.' 

'  And  what  is  it,  then  ? ' 

'  Teasing  you,  Mab.' 

'  Come  on,  Joe,'  shouted  his  father.  '  Are  you  going 
to  stay  there  yarning  all  day  ? ' 

'  Oh,  I'm  full  of  this,'  said  Joe,  enigmatically,  as  he 
yawned  and  went  off  to  his  work.  When  he  had  got 
a  short  distance  he  turned  round  and  called  out, 
'  I  say,  Mab,  don't  take  on  about  what  I've  been 
saying.  You're  not  bad  for  a  girl.' 

Evidently  much  relieved  in  mind,  Mab   laughed, 


138  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

and,  having  packed  up  her  basket,  returned  to  the 
cottage. 

That  evening  Toland  came  up  from  work  seem- 
ingly in  high  spirits. 

'  The  last  of  the  maize  is  in,  missis,'  he  said  as  he 
threw  himself  into  a  chair.  '  There's  a  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  of  wheat  and  oats,  and  twenty  odd  of 
maize.  We  ought  to  make  a  fortune  this  year.' 

'  I  hope  so,  dear,'  said  Ruth,  smiling. 

'Do  you  know  what  I  was  thinking  on  the  way 
up  ? '  continued  Toland. 

'  How  to  get  rid  of  the  rabbits  ? '  asked  Ruth. 

'  No,  hang  the  rabbits  !  I  was  thinking  that  when 
I  got  home  I  would  find  a  little  wife  with  a  pale  face 
who  has  been  married  for  eighteen  years  and  has 
never  had  a  single  jaunt  away,  and  who  has  toiled 
and  slaved  all  that  time  without  a  murmur;  and  I 
said  to  myself,  "  there's  a  few  pounds  in  the  bank,  a 
big  harvest  to  be  reaped — in  a  couple  of  months'  time 
we'll  have  a  trip  to  Melbourne  to  see  the  Cup  run." 
What  do  you  say  ? ' 

'  I  ought  to  say  let  us  wait  till  the  harvest  is  reaped 
and  our  fortune  made,  but  I  just  can't,  John,  dear,  for 
I  should  so  like  the  change.' 

Toland  saw  his  wife's  eyes  were  bright  with  antici- 
pated pleasure  and  felt  elated. 

'  Then  it  is  settled  we  go,'  he  said,  getting  up  and 
pacing  the  room.  'What  shall  we  do  with  the 
children  ? ' 

'  Oh,  can't  we  take  them  too  ? '  said  Ruth,  plead- 
ingly; 'it  would  be  such  a  treat  and  do  them  so 
much  good.' 

'  Well,  I  suppose  we  might  manage  it,'  said  Toland, 
beginning  to  get  almost  boyishly  excited  at  the  idea 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  139 

of  his  first  holiday.  '  There  will  be  cheap  fares  about 
that  time  and  we  needn't  stay  away  long,  and  I  have 
some  bullocks  that  should  be  fit  for  market  if  we 
spend  too  much.  I  wonder  what  they'll  say.' 

At  supper-time  the  subject  was  broached  to  them. 

'  Mother  and  I,'  said  Toland,  '  are  going  for  a  trip 
to  Melbourne  at  Cup  time.  Would  you  like  to 
come  with  us,  Mab?' 

Mab  beamed  with  delight  and  was  about  to 
reply,  when  she  caught  a  glimpse  of  Joe's  face  as 
he  held  his  knife  and  fork  in  mid-air  and  stared 
at  his  father. 

'  Will  Joe  be  coming  too  ? '  she  asked. 

'  I  don't  suppose  he  would  care  to,'  said  Toland, 
with  pretended  seriousness. 

'  Oh,  I  say,  dad,  what  are  you  giving  us  ? '  broke 
in  Joe.  '  I'd  just  peg  out  if  you  left  me  behind. 
Rupert  Harlin  says  it's  great.  They  went  in  a  four- 
in-hand,  and  the  old  man  won  a  thousand  on  Blue- 
bottle in  the  hurdles — he  carried  thirteen  stone  and 
won  in  a  canter.  You'll  make  dad  take  me,  won't 
you,  mother  ? ' 

Ruth  smiled  at  the  boy's  outburst  and  his  want 
of  tact  in  mentioning  the  Harlins'  method  of  at- 
tending the  great  racing  carnival. 

'  Oh,  I  think,'  she  replied,  '  after  your  working  so 
hard  at  that  maize  crop  he'll  have  to  take  you.' 

'  All  right,  Joe,'  said  his  father,  '  we'll  take  you — 
but  it  won't  be  in  a  four-in-hand.' 

So  it  was  arranged  that  Mick  should  be  secured 
to  take  charge  of  the  farm  and  that  a  start  should 
be  made  in  ten  days'  time. 

Those  were  busy  days  for  Ruth,  who  had  to  get  the 
family  outfits  ready.  The  aid  of  Bess  was  invoked 


r 4o  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

and  willingly  given,  and  Mrs  Harlin,  hearing  of  the 
intended  trip,  sent  a  little  present  to  her  godchild. 

Toland  rode  to  Tongalong  ostensibly  to  attend 
the  local  stock  market,  but  in  reality  acting  under 
instructions  from  Ruth,  his  destination  being  the 
tailoring  department  of  the  store  at  which  he  dealt. 

Such  a  hitherto  unheard-of  thing  as  a  farmer 
taking  his  family  on  a  pleasure  trip  to  Melbourne 
created  quite  a  stir  in  the  district,  and  many  heads 
were  shaken  at  the  extravagance  of  it.  Most  of  the 
selectors  were  so  used  to  the  round  of  never-ending 
toil  and  sordid  hardships  that  they  resented  the  idea 
of  one  of  their  number  setting  out  in  pursuit  of  en- 
joyment. 

Scott  was  specially  annoyed  at  the  folly  of  it  and 
had  not  a  good  word  to  say  for  the  Tolands  whilst 
preparations  were  being  made  for  their  departure. 
He  even  begrudged  his  wife  the  time  she  spent 
assisting  Ruth,  but  this  did  not  impede  matters  in 
the  least,  as  Bess  was  too  warm-hearted  to  sympathise 
with  his  churlishness,  and  paid  no  attention  to  his 
grumbling.  He  was  particularly  indignant  with  his 
brother-in-law  for  taking  Joe,  as  he  considered  it  was 
not  only  harmful  to  the  boy,  but  also  setting  a  bad 
example  to  Jimmy,  who,  instead  of  contentedly 
sticking  to  his  work,  could  do  nothing  but  chatter 
about  trips  to  Melbourne.  However,  despite  his 
disapproval  and  prophecies  of  evil,  the  start  was 
made  at  last,  Toland  and  Ruth  feeling  quite  young 
again  under  the  influence  of  the  wild  excitement  of 
their  children.  As  they  drove  through  the  cultiva- 
tion paddocks  Toland  remarked  to  Ruth  that  he  felt 
anxious  about  the  crops  since  there  had  been  no  rain 
that  month ;  but,  once  on  the  main  road,  he  forgot 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  141 

everything  in  connection  with  the  farm.  He  whipped 
up  the  horses  and  started  singing  to  the  accompani- 
ment of  the  rattle  of  the  trap.  The  children  joined 
in,  and  then  Ruth,  smiling  at  her  own  lightheartedness. 
But  she  easily  excused  herself.  It  was  glorious  to 
have  left  the  farm  with  its  drudgery  and  worries  be- 
hind and  to  be  setting  out  for  a  new  world.  It  was 
spring-time  too ;  the  sun  was  warm  ;  a  cool  south 
wind  blew,  driving  here  and  there  a  fleecy  cloud 
across  the  blue  sky ;  green  crops  relieved  the  sombre 
colours  of  the  forest.  God  seemed  to  be  smiling  on 
the  land  and  bidding  His  children  rejoice.  Great, 
indeed,  was  the  excitement  of  the  next  few  days.  All 
was  so  wonderful  to  the  bush  children,  and  much  of 
it  to  their  parents.  The  train  journey  from  Tonga- 
long,  the  city  with  its  magnificent  buildings  and 
crowded  streets,  the  mighty  throng  at  the  Cup,  the 
roar  that  went  up  from  seventy  thousand  throats  as 
the  winner  flashed  past  the  post,  the  theatre,  and  the 
myriad  lights  at  night  Then  there  was  the  sea, 
which  brought  her  childhood's  days  back  to  Ruth, 
and  filled  the  children  with  amazement,  not  untinc- 
tured  with  chagrin,  for  the  great  lagoon  on  the  Tonga, 
of  which  they  had  been  so  proud,  seemed  now  but  a 
puddle.  A  week  was  spent  in  sight-seeing,  and  then 
Ruth  began  to  find  her  thoughts  reverting,  amid  the 
din  of  the  city  and  the  stench  of  its  by-ways,  to  the 
little  home  in  the  forest,  and  a  yearning  came  over 
her  to  return  there  and  rest.  To  Toland  the  new 
scenes  brought  varying  moods.  At  one  time  he  felt 
exhilarated  by  the  rush  of  life  around  him,  at  another 
depressed  by  the  contrast  between  wealth  and 
poverty.  He  watched  the  carriages  roll  by  in  Collins 
Street  and  wondered  if  their  owners  had  worked 


T  4  2  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

harder  than  the  farmers.  He  saw  fat  old  dowagers 
reclining  on  the  cushioned  seats  trying  to  appear  like 
aristocrats  at  ease,  and  he  thought  how  much  better 
his  wife  would  look  than  they.  On  the  other  hand, 
he  saw  for  the  first  time  in  Australia  men  begging  for 
food,  women  sunk  to  the  lowest  depths  of  degrada- 
tion, ragged  children  earning  stray  coppers  in  the 
streets.  His  individuality,  he  felt,  had  vanished  in 
the  alien  throng  ;  he  was  a  nonentity  whom  nobody 
knew  or  gave  a  thought  to.  Sometimes  a  passer-by 
would  turn  in  the  street  to  glance  at  the  powerful 
form  that  towered  over  the  average  townsman,  or  to 
smile  at  the  group  of  country  visitors,  but  friendly 
recognition  he  had  from  none,  and  he  found  the 
loneliness  of  the  city  greater  than  that  of  the  bush. 
There  were  problems,  too,  that  puzzled  him  sorely. 
Where  does  the  wealth  come  from  ?  Why  are  they 
so  rich  and  we  so  poor?  were  questions  he  constantly 
put  to  himself,  and  which  he  left  unanswered  with  the 
reflection,  '  I'll  talk  to  Conyngham  about  it  when  I 
get  home.' 

One  incident  of  his  visit  deeply  impressed  him. 
He  was  walking  along  Bourke  Street,  admiring  a 
great  wool  warehouse,  when  he  was  attracted  by  a 
crowd  on  a  vacant  allotment  that  graces  with  a  heap 
of  jam  tins  and  other  rubbish  the  centre  of  the 
city.  About  four  hundred  men,  sullen  and  hopeless- 
looking  for  the  most  part,  were  listening  to  the  speech 
which  was  being  delivered  from  the  vantage  ground 
of  a  heap  of  road  metal.  The  speaker  was  a  thin, 
wiry,  nervous  -  looking  man,  undersized  in  stature, 
harsh  in  voice,  but  in  whose  eye  the  fire  of  fanaticism 
glowed.  Toland's  attention  was  riveted  by  the  first 
sentence  he  heard.  '  They  said,'  shouted  the  man,  as 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  143 

he  waved  his  clenched  fist,  '  that  they  would  make 
this  land  a  paradise  for  the  working  man,  but  they've 
made  it  a  hell.  They  said  every  honest  man  would 
be  able  to  earn  a  living,  but  instead  we  are  starving. 
They  brought  us  here  to  make  homes,  but  we're 
digging  our  graves.  They  tell  us  now  to  go  to  the 
country  to  look  for  work,  but  those  who  collared  the 
land  will  only  throw  a  man  some  scraps  and  tell  him 
to  clear.  So  all  that's  left  is  to  tramp  the  roads  and 
keep  on  tramping,  for  if  a  man  stops  to  rest  or  to  die 
he'll  be  run  into  gaol.  This  is  our  paradise,  friends, 
and  the  monopolists  are  the  gods  that  made  it !  So 
down  with  them,  I  say,  down  with  them  to  hell !' 

Quivering  with  passion,  the  man  sprang  from  the 
stone  heap  whilst  a  murmur  ran  through  the  crowd. 
Toland,  who  was  moved  by  the  fierce  earnestness  of 
the  speaker,  whose  every  tone  seemed  to  tell  of  a 
wrong  endured,  turned  to  a  policeman  who  was  stand- 
ing next  him. 

'  What's  the  meeting  about  ? '  he  asked. 

'  It's  the  unemployed  ;  they  come  here  every  day 
to  do  a  bit  of  spouting.' 

The  next  speaker  was  inaudible  from  where  Toland 
stood,  so  he  turned  away  and  resumed  his  walk, 
troubled  in  mind  and  dispirited,  for  he  felt  that 
another  nail  had  been  driven  into  the  coffin  he  saw 
slowly  but  surely  being  prepared  for  the  hopes  of  his 
early  years.  Not  in  this  land  then,  after  all,  neither 
in  town  nor  in  country,  was  the  prophecy  to  be  fulfilled 
which  he  had  laid  to  his  heart,  and  he  muttered  sar- 
donically to  himself  as  he  walked  along  : — 

'  For  a'  that,  and  a'  that 
It's  coming  yet  for  a'  that, 
That  man  to  man  the  wide  warld  o'er 
Shall  brithers  be,  for  a'  that.' 


144 

After  they  had  been  in  the  city  a  week  they  all 
began  to  long  for  home,  not  excepting  the  children, 
who  were  jaded  with  excitement,  and  whose  feet  were 
sore  and  limbs  weary  from  walking  on  the  pave- 
ments. Joe  especially  wanted  to  get  back  and  grow 
quickly  big  enough  to  become  a  mounted  trooper, 
the  Governor's  escort  at  the  Cup  having  determined 
his  future  career.  It  was,  therefore,  decided  to  return 
forthwith,  and  next  day,  as  the  sun  was  sinking,  the 
little  party  drew  near  their  home. 

'Isn't  the  air  delicious  after  that  of  the  town?' 
said  Ruth. 

'  It  is  indeed/  replied  Toland,  drawing  into  his 
capacious  lungs  a  great  draught  of  the  cool  night  air, 
fragrant  with  the  scent  of  the  blossoming  gums.  '  I 
don't  know  how  men  can  live  in  those  filthy  streets ; 
I  should  die  of  disgust  in  a  month.' 

'  I  shouldn't  like  it  either,'  said  Ruth,  '  so  you 
needn't  worry  any  more  about  my  being  shut  up 
in  the  bush.  After  all,  there's  no  place  like  home.' 

'  Out  you  get,  Joe  ! '  said  his  father,  a  minute  later, 
as  they  drew  up  at  the  gate  of  the  cultivation  paddock. 
'  It's  dark  to  see  properly,  but,  by  Jove !  I  don't  like 
the  look  of  the  crop ;  it  wants  rain  badly.' 

When  they  reached  the  cottage  they  found  old 
Mick  ready  to  receive  them;  a  welcoming  light 
shone  through  the  kitchen  door,  and  a  fire  roared 
up  the  chimney. 

'  Good  evening,  Mick  !     No  rain  yet.' 

'  Good  evening,  sor !  Divil  a  drop,  and  the  crops 
needing  it  bad.' 

'  My  pup  all  right,  Mick  ?  '  burst  in  Joe. 

1  He  is  that,  but  I'll  not  be  answering  for  the 
fowls  he  has  kilt' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  145 

'  The  boy's  no  good,  Mick,'  said  Toland,  as  he 
lifted  Ruth  down  ;  '  he  wants  to  be  a  policeman.' 

'  And  that's  what  they're  all  wanting  to  be,'  said 
Mick.  '  The  lads  are  all  for  rushing  off  to  the  town 
and  the  vanities  of  it.  Miss  Mab'll  not  be  running 
off  though,  I'll  be  bound.' 

'  No,  Mick,'  replied  Mab,  with  a  merry  laugh.  '  I 
don't  want  to  be  a  policeman,  but  I  want  the  cob 
in  the  morning,  though,  to  have  a  good  ride  round 
with  father.' 

'  All  right,  miss ;  he's  nice  and  handy,  and  I've 
been  giving  him  a  bite  in  the  stable  whilst  you've 
been  gone.' 

'  That  was  good  of  you,  and  I  didn't  forget  you, 
Mick  ;  I  have  brought  you  a  pound  of  tobacco,  and 
I  hope  you'll  like  it.' 

Mab  gave  the  old  man  a  parcel,  and  then  ran  into 
the  kitchen  to  help  her  mother  and  escape  his 
thanks.  That  night  when  husband  and  wife  were 
alone,  Toland  said, — 

'  Well,  missis,  what  do  you  think  of  it  all  ? ' 

1  I've  enjoyed  it  very  much,  dear,  and  it  was  very 
good  of  you  to  take  me,  but  I  feel  as  if  I  didn't 
want  to  go  again.  I  like  the  peace  of  our  home, 
and  I  never  knew  how  beautiful  it  was,  or  how  fond 
I  had  become  of  it  till  I  went  away.  I  am  afraid  I 
have  been  discontented,  but  I  promise  to  turn  over 
a  new  leaf.' 

'  You  discontented !  Why,  you  are  the  most 
patient  little  body  in  the  world,  and  the  best  wife 
man  ever  had.  I'm  glad  to  be  back  too.  Not  that 
I  like  peace  myself.  I  like  strife.  I  hate  a  sluggish 
life,  and  it's  I  who  have  been  discontented.  But 
life  in  the  town  wouldn't  content  me.  I  wouldn't 

K 


146  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

like  to  be  one  of  that  sickly-looking  lot,  each  one 
hurrying  along  to  swindle  someone  else.  I  used 
to  feel  that  with  my  back  to  a  wall  I  could  take 
a  dozen  of  them.  Yet  they're  much  cleverer  than 
us  bush  folk.  They  despise  us  for  being  stupid 
fools.  They  make  the  laws  and  ride  on  our  backs 
and  live  on  us,  so  Conyngham  says,  and  I  believe  it's 
God's  truth.  But  I'd  sooner  toil  in  the  sun  and  sleep 
under  the  stars  than  be  one  of  them  and  fill  my  lungs 
with  the  stench  of  their  filthy  streets.  Why  farmers' 
sons  are  rushing  off  into  their  factories,  and  to  serve 
behind  their  counters  licks  me.  I'd  despise  a  son 
of  mine  who'd  do  it' 

Ruth  smiled  at  her  husband's  outburst. 

'  It's  just  as  well,  John,  you  don't  want  to  live 
in  the  town,  for  I'm  sure  you  would  always  be 
getting  into  trouble — especially  if  you  had  Mr 
Conyngham  to  make  you  want  to  fight  everybody 
about  everything.  I  think  I'll  have  to  warn  him 
of  the  bad  effect  he  has  upon  you.' 

Toland  laughed  good-humouredly. 

'  Oh,  Conyngham's  all  right,  and  has  got  as  soft  a 
heart  as  anybody,  though  he  tries  to  hide  it  more 
than  most  He's  made  a  failure  of  life  somehow, 
and  if  he  didn't  gird  at  things  with  his  tongue,  I 
believe  he'd  go  mad.  I  know  I  should  if  I  were 
in  his  shoes.' 

'  Yes,'  said  Ruth,  sympathetically.  '  I  feel  very 
sorry  for  him  when  he  comes  and  sits  by  our  fire- 
side, and  no  doubt  wishes  he  had  one  of  his  own. 
It's  miserable,  too,  when  he  goes  out  in  the  night 
for  his  long  ride  to  the  Scotts.' 

'  Mother,'  called  Joe,  from  his  little  back  room, '  I 
want  to  speak  to  you.' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  147 

'  Very  well,  I'm  coming.  Good-night,  John,  dear. 
I  think  I'll  go  to  bed,  for  I'm  tired.  Don't  sit  up 
brooding,  like  a  good  man.' 

'  No,  I'm  coming  as  soon  as  I've  finished  my  pipe. 
And  there's  nothing  to  brood  over.  It's  grand  to 
see  you  looking  better.  Go  and  have  a  good  sleep, 
for  it's  work  again  to-morrow.  I'm  afraid  we  left 
our  trip  too  late,  little  mother ;  we  have  got  to  be 
like  a  horse  that  is  used  to  the  furrow  and  is  no  use 
out  of  it.' 

Ruth  smiled  and  kissed  him — for  they  were  lovers 
still — and  passed  out. 

'  What  is  it,  Joe  ? '  she  asked,  as  she  put  her  head 
in  at  the  boy's  door. 

'  Mother,  how  long  will  it  be  before  I  can  be  a 
mounted  trooper  ? ' 

'Go  to  sleep,  dear,  and  don't  be  a  stupid,'  she 
replied,  and  went  to  bed,  leaving  Joe  to  dream  of 
a  fairyland  in  which,  clad  in  blue  cloth,  white 
corduroys  and  resplendent  helmet,  and  mounted  on 
a  prancing  steed,  he  protected  Her  Majesty's  re- 
presentative from  the  too  close  presence  of  the 
multitude  at  the  Melbourne  Cup. 


CHAPTER  VI 

WHEN  Toland  rode  round  his  farm  with  Mab  the 
morning  after  their  return  from  Melbourne,  his 
heart  sank  within  him,  for  he  saw  that,  without 
heavy  rain  in  a  few  days'  time,  the  crops  would 
be  a  failure.  Already,  though  the  flag  was  not  a 
foot  high,  here  and  there  an  ear  of  wheat  could  be 
seen — a  fateful  sign.  The  oats,  being  a  later  crop, 
looked  more  hopeful,  but  were  beginning  to  go  back 
from  lack  of  moisture.  The  maize  was  above  the 
ground,  but,  instead  of  being  dark  green,  was  tinged 
with  yellow.  The  grass  was  rapidly  drying  up,  and 
all  round  were  signs  that  summer  had  set  in  a  month 
too  soon — a  small  thing  to  some,  and  yet  threatening 
widespread  ruin  throughout  the  land. 

'  It's  a  bad  lookout,'  said  Toland,  as  he  glanced 
across  the  drought-stricken  crop.  '  If  it  doesn't  rain 
soon  it  won't  be  worth  cutting  even  for  hay.' 

'  Oh,  father,  wouldn't  that  be  dreadful  ?  And  there 
is  no  sign  of  a  change.' 

'  None ;  it  looks  as  if  it  would  never  rain  again.' 
He  turned  his  horse's  head  and  rode  back  towards 
the  cottage,  followed  silently  and  sorrowfully  by 
Mab. 

Nevertheless,  Nature,  animate  and  inanimate, 
seemed  full  of  rejoicing.  The  great  heat  had  not 
yet  come,  though  the  haze  was  beginning  to  dim 
the  outline  of  the  distant  hills.  The  sunshine  had 

148 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  149 

a  delicious  warmth,  and  there  were  cool  puffs  from 
a  changeful  breeze,  while  fleecy  clouds  drifted  aim- 
lessly across  the  blue  sky.  The  days  of  the  summer 
silence,  broken  only  by  the  skirr  of  the  locusts,  were 
not  yet  Magpies  sang  with  full  mellow  notes,  jays 
chattered  and  shrieked  in  the  creek  timber,  and 
flocks  of  parrots  tinged  the  orchard  with  scarlet. 
It  was  spring  without  the  refreshing  showers,  come 
like  a  lovely  wanton  to  wither  and  destroy. 

When  Toland  and  Mab  reached  the  cottage  they 
found  Ruth  waiting  on  the  verandah  to  hear  their 
report. 

'  Well,  how  do  the  crops  look  ? '  she  asked  as  they 
dismounted. 

'  Not  very  splendid.  They  want  rain  badly,' 
replied  Toland,  in  a  voice  that  was  intended  to 
be  cheerful,  as  he  had  determined  to  save  Ruth  as 
much  as  possible  from  anxiety. 

'  I'm  so  sorry,'  she  said  sympathetically ;  '  it  would 
be  too  disappointing  if  they  failed.' 

'  Don't  you  worry,  little  woman,'  he  replied.  '  Even 
supposing  they  did  fail  we'd  survive  all  right,  though 
I  must  say  I'd  like  to  see  a  couple  of  inches.' 

Day  followed  day  without  a  rain-cloud  appearing 
in  the  oft-scanned  sky,  and  then,  at  the  end  of  a 
fortnight,  a  change  took  place.  From  daylight 
clouds  gathered  on  the  horizon  to  the  north  and 
gradually  rolled  up  the  valley  before  the  wind, 
growing  darker  and  sinking  lower  as  the  day  passed. 
The  air  was  sultry  and  full  of  dust,  borne  along 
in  mighty  volumes.  All  sounds  of  life  were  hushed 
and  the  stillness  that  betokens  an  impending  con- 
vulsion lay  on  everything.  Toland  and  Joe  worked 
hard  to  get  in  some  potatoes  before  the  rain, 


1 5o  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

whilst  Ruth  and  Mab  busied  themselves  in  planting 
vegetable  seeds.  About  four  o'clock  black  thunder- 
clouds massed  themselves  to  the  north  and  began  an 
onward  march  in  force.  In  an  hour's  time  they  had 
wholly  overspread  the  sky,  and  then  the  battle  of 
the  elements  began.  From  east  to  west  a  flash  of 
lightning  zig-zagged  its  way  and  a  distant  peal  of 
thunder  sounded  a  deep  warning.  Toland  and  Joe 
ran  up  to  the  cottage  to  escape  the  deluge  that 
seemed  to  be  at  hand,  and  joined  Ruth  and  Mabel 
on  the  verandah.  Nearer  and  nearer  drew  the 
artillery  of  the  storm,  while  in  the  darkening  sky 
black  clouds  rolled  over  one  another  in  charging 
squadrons.  Then  a  splash  of  rain  fell,  and  the  drops 
were  red  like  blood  from  the  dust  overhead  that 
had  been  whirled  up  five  hundred  miles  away.  In 
a  few  seconds  it  ceased  and  there  was  a  dead  silence. 
Then  right  across  the  north  darted  a  swift  gleam 
of  flame,  followed  by  a  thunderclap  that  made  the 
little  party  shrink.  Flash  followed  upon  flash, 
peal  upon  peal ;  the  forked  lightning  ran  here  and 
there,  slashing  the  black  pall  with  sword-strokes  of 
fire  ;  the  skies  resolved  themselves  into  one  wild 
turmoil  ;  below,  the  wind  howled  with  increasing 
fury. 

'  Hurrah !  here  it  comes ! '  shouted  Toland,  above 
the  roar  of  the  storm,  as  a  torrent  of  rain 
descended. 

Ruth  framed  a  silent  prayer  of  thankfulness.  Mab 
and  Joe  rushed  inside  to  fasten  the  banging  doors 
and  windows. 

For  about  ten  minutes  the  rain  pelted  down  and 
then  suddenly  ceased,  while  at  the  same  time  the 
wind  dropped. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  151 

'  Hang  it ! '  said  Toland,  '  I  hope  that's  not  all 
we're  going  to  have.' 

'  Oh,  it  can't  be/  replied  Ruth.  '  Why,  look  at  the 
sky  ! '  Almost  as  she  spoke  a  puff  of  wind  blew  off 
her  hat. 

'  The  wind  has  changed,'  he  said  as  he  picked  it 
up.  'We  were  sheltered  before.  If  it  goes  round 
to  the  south  it  will  be  over.' 

Husband  and  wife  anxiously  watched  the  progress 
of  the  storm.  Every  moment  it  seemed  as  if  a  deluge 
must  fall,  and  at  the  same  time  they  feared  to  see 
the  clouds  driven  back  from  the  south,  the  quarter 
from  which  rain  never  came.  The  wind  for  a  while 
veered  towards  all  quarters,  and  at  last  it  seemed 
to  make  up  its  mind  and  blew  steadily  from  the 
south.  It  increased  in  fury  till  it  whistled  and 
howled  through  the  tree-tops  and  round  the  cottage. 
The  advance  of  the  rain-clouds  from  the  north  was 
checked,  and  then  turned  into  a  rout.  At  first  they 
were  driven  back  in  mass,  but,  when  the  fierceness 
of  the  onslaught  increased,  they  were  dispersed  in 
all  directions  and  hurried  from  the  sky  in  thunder- 
growling  fragments.  Blue  sky  appeared  here  and 
there  and  everywhere,  and  in  an  hour  not  a  rain- 
cloud  was  to  be  seen.  Then  the  south  wind,  having 
done  its  work,  sank  to  a  cool  and  pleasant  breeze. 

'  By  Jove !  that's  hard  luck,'  said  Toland,  in  bitter 
disappointment,  as  all  hope  of  rain  and  salvation 
from  loss  disappeared.  Ruth  felt  inclined  to  cry 
and  took  his  arm  affectionately. 

'  It  may  rain  before  long,  dear ;  one  never  can  tell.' 

'  This  sort  of  thing  is  the  sure  sign  of  a  big 
drought.  It's  all  up  with  the  crops  now,'  replied 
Toland,  gloomily. 


j  5  2  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

«  Come  to  tea,'  called  Mab  from  the  kitchen,  and, 
with  little  inclination  to  eat,  they  went  inside  and 
sat  down  to  the  evening  meal. 

A  week  later  Toland  announced  to  Ruth  that  he 
was  going  over  to  the  station  to  see  if  he  could  buy 
some  sheep  off  the  shears  to  fatten. 

'  But  what  are  you  going  to  fatten  them  on  ? '  she 
asked. 

'  I'm  going  to  turn  them  into  the  cultivation 
paddock.  I've  given  up  all  hope  of  cutting  any 
crop  this  year.' 

'  Oh,  John  !     Is  there  no  hope  ? ' 

'  None  at  all.  A  foot  of  rain  would  do  them  no 
good.' 

'  I  suppose  it  can't  be  helped,  but  how  are  we 
going  to  live  and  pay  our  debts?' 

'  Oh  we'll  pull  through  all  right  somehow  or 
another — don't  you  worry  and  make  yourself  ill. 
That's  what  I'm  afraid  of.  It's  worse  to  see  this  pale 
face  than  the  withered  crops.' 

'  It's  kind  of  you  to  think  of  me  as  you  do,  dear, 
when  you  have  so  much  to  trouble  you.' 

'  No,  it  isn't.  Don't  you  see  you're  something 
pleasant  to  think  of.  Now  promise  not  to  work  too 
hard  just  because  things  look  a  little  blue.' 

'  Of  course  I  won't.  I've  quite  an  easy  time  now 
with  Mab  to  help  me.  Couldn't  you  take  her  with 
you?  The  poor  child  never  gets  any  enjoyment.' 

'  I  think  I'd  rather  not,'  he  replied  ;  '  she'd  better 
stay  with  you.' 

'Very  well,  dear,'  said  Ruth,  reading  the  unex- 
pressed thoughts  in  his  face,  '  perhaps  she  might  be 
in  the  way.' 

When  Toland  rode  off  Mab  put  down  the  book 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  153 

she  had  been  reading  and  joined  her  mother,  who 
was  topping  and  tailing  gooseberries  in  the  verandah 
in  the  shade  of  the  vines. 

'  Mother,'  she  said, '  I  don't  like  going  for  the  mail 
nowadays.' 

4  Why,  dear  ? '  asked  her  mother  in  some  surprise. 
'  I  hate  that  man  Mallock.     He  will  talk  to  me  if 
he  possibly  can,  and  of  course  he  gets  the  chance 
when  I  ask  for  the  letters.' 

'  Does  he  ever  say  anything  you  dislike  ? ' 
'  No,  not  exactly,  but  he  tries  to  be  very  fascinat- 
ing, and  asks  after  you  and   father  as  if  he  were  a 
friend  of  the  family,  but  all  the  time  he  has  such  a 
horrid  look  in  his  eyes.' 

'  I  can't  bear  him  either,'  said  Ruth,  shivering. 
'  I've  always  hated  him,'  continued  Mab,  '  since  a 
long  time  ago  when  I  was  a  little  thing  staying  with 
Aunt  Bess.  I  went  for  the  mail,  and  Mallock  offered' 
me  a  big  packet  of  lollies  if  I  would  give  him  a  kiss, 
and  then  he  said  he  wouldn't  give  me  the  letters 
unless  I  did.  I  was  so  frightened  that  I  ran  out  and 
got  on  the  pony  and  rode  off.  When  I  told  Aunt 
Bess  she  gave  Mallock  a  talking  to,  but  he  only 
laughed  and  said  something  with  a  sneer  about  her 
having  to  come  to  him  on  her  own  business  some 
day  that  frightened  her.' 

'  He's  a  horrible  man,'  said  Ruth,  '  and  you  must 
go  to  the  store  as  little  as  possible.' 

'  I  don't  want  to  go  at  all  if  I  can  help  it.  I  went 
one  day  with  that  little  wretch,  Jimmy,  and  when  we 
came  out  he  said,  "  Isn't  it  a  joke  old  Mallock  making 
eyes  at  you  ?  "  I  would  have  liked  to  box  his  ears.' 

'  That  was  very  wrong  of  him,'  said  Ruth,  glancing 
in  fond  admiration  at  her  daughter,  thinking  how 


T54  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

much  she  resembled  her  father  when  her  eyes  flashed 
in  anger.  'You  mustn't  go  there  any  more.  But 
you  must  say  nothing  to  your  father.  Half  what 
you  have  told  me  would  make  him  kill  Mallock.' 

'  I'd  almost  like  to  see  him  do  it,'  said  Mab.  '  How 
he  would  crush  him  in  his  great  arms!' 

'  Mab,  my  child,  don't  say  such  things.  I'm  always 
afraid  of  what  your  father  might  do  if  put  into  a 
passion  by  some  wrong.  You  must  promise  not  to 
make  him  hate  Mallock  more.' 

'  Of  course  I  won't,  mother  dear,'  replied  Mab  as 
she  kissed  her.  '  I'll  go  for  the  letters  sometimes  so 
that  he  won't  have  any  suspicion;  and  anyhow 
Mallock  can't  eat  me.' 

'  No,  you  mustn't  do  that,'  said  Ruth,  stroking 
her  daughter's  soft  hair.  '  We  won't  talk  of  it  any 
more,  but  I'm  glad  you  told  me.' 

Though  Toland  spoke  very  confidently  to  his  wife 
before  starting  on  his  ride  to  the  station,  his  later 
thoughts  scarcely  confirmed  the  hopeful  views  then 
expressed.  Like  his  neighbours  he  lived  on  what 
he  was  going  to  make.  After  each  harvest  ac- 
cumulated liabilities  were  more  or  less  paid  off  and 
a  fresh  career  on  credit  started.  Such  had  grown  to 
be  the  recognised  business  understanding  between 
the  farmers  and  the  storekeepers,  whose  assistance 
alone  enabled  men  with  insufficient  capital  to  make  a 
start  upon  the  land.  Consequently  Toland  deeply 
cursed  the  misfortune  that  had  befallen  him  which 
seemed  to  render  inevitable  what  he  had  striven  so 
hard  to  avoid,  namely,  an  increase  of  the  mortgage 
on  the  farm.  Further  hard  work,  care  and  dis- 
appointment he  felt  he  could  face  as  directly 
affecting  himself,  but  the  bitterness  came  when  he 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  155 

thought  of  those  dependent  on  him.  More  especially 
when  he  thought  of  Ruth,  his  comrade  and  mainstay, 
and  saw  in  the  future  no  hope  of  escape  from  the  toil, 
monotony  and  anxiety  that  were  beginning  to  tell 
upon  her.  Then,  when  he  left  the  road  and  crossed 
the  flats  on  Kumbarra,  he  fell  to  musing  once  more 
on  social  inequalities  and  to  wondering  why  Harlin's 
wife  should  have  every  luxury  that  wealth  could  pro- 
cure, whilst  his  own  had  to  bear  the  scourge  of 
poverty.  How  could  Ruth,  he  asked  himself,  have 
suggested  he  should  bring  Mab  with  him  ?  Now  that 
he  was  going  down  hill  he  must  be  more  careful  to 
see  that  they  did  not  come  to  be  regarded  as  pen- 
sioners on  the  bounty  of  the  Harlins. 

The  shearing  shed  was  about  a  mile  from  the  house 
and  now  easily  to  be  located  by  the  shouting  of 
musterers,  the  barking  of  dogs  and  the  bleating  of 
sheep.  When  Toland  reached  it  he  found  operations 
in  full  swing,  and  not  seeing  Harlin  about,  he  stood  for 
a  while  and  watched  the  busy  scene.  Twenty-five 
shearers  were  hard  at  work  and  the  short,  sharp  clip 
of  their  shears  filled  the  shed  with  sound,  notwith- 
standing the  bleating  from  a  thousand  throats.  Each 
man  worked  as  if  for  dear  life,  the  '  ringer,'  or  highest 
tally  man,  for  honour  and  glory  as  well,  while  the 
heat  of  the  iron  roof,  the  stooping  position,  and  the 
hot  bodies  of  the  panting  sheep  bathed  the  shearers' 
faces  and  limbs  in  sweat.  No  one  spoke,  except  to 
curse  a  tarboy  or  rouseabout  for  not  being  at  hand 
when  wanted,  and  for  thereby  causing  the  loss  of  a 
valuable  minute,  or  to  mutter  an  oath  as  the  boss  of 
the  board  passed  by  with  a  caution  for  a  gash  or  a 
second  cut.  Penners-up  bustled  along  the  sheep  with 
wild  yells ;  rouseabouts  hurried  up  and  down  the 


156  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

board,  bearing  away  the  fleeces  ;  skirters  tore  at  them 
on  the  table  with  eager  haste,  for  the  classer  was 
doing  his  work  with  but  a  glance  and  tug  at  the 
staple.  The  press  squeaked  and  groaned  as  two 
sinewy  giants  swung  on  the  lever  ;  and  a  few  seconds 
later  there  was  hammering  at  clamps,  and  yet  an- 
other bale  rolled  out  on  the  floor,  to  be  branded  and 
started  on  its  trip  round  the  world. 

After  a  while  Toland  asked  one  of  the  pressers  if  Mr 
Harlin  was  anywhere  about. 

'  No,  but  there's  M'Intyre,'  he  replied,  indicating 
Harlin's  factotum,  who  was  walking  towards  them. 
Toland  went  up  to  him. 
'  Good-day ;  I  want  to  see  Mr  Harlin.' 
'Well,  you'll  not  see  him  to-day,'  said   M'Intyre, 
looking  at  him  suspiciously  as  one  of  those  infernal 
cockies  who  had  helped  to  spoil  the  run. 

'  Isn't  he  up  at  the  homestead  ? '  asked  Toland. 
'Yes,  he's    up   there,'    replied    M'Intyre    after   a 
moment's    hesitation,   '  but   he  doesn't  want    to    be 
bothered   to-day.      Is   there   anything  I   can  do  for 
ye?' 

'  No,  thank  you.  If  he's  up  at  the  house  I'll  go  and 
see  him,  and  I  don't  care  a  damn  if  he  wants  to  be 
bothered  or  not.  I've  come  to  see  if  he  will  sell  some 
stores  off  the  shears,  and  don't  want  to  come  again.' 
So  saying  he  turned  and  walked  out  of  the  shed. 
M'Intyre  followed  him. 

'  Look  here,  Mr  Toland,'  he  said,  '  I  think  I  might 
fix  that  for  ye,  and  I  know  Mr  Harlin  will  not  be 
wanting  to  see  ye,  not  feeling  well  this  morn.' 

'  Well,  he  can  tell  me  so  himself,'  replied  Toland, 
annoyed  at  M'Intyre's  manner.  'Why  shouldn't 
he?  Has  he  become  such  a  great  man  as  all  that?' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  157 

'Have  ye  no  understanding,  ye  great  galoot?' 
said  M'Intyre,  irascibly,  as  Toland  prepared  to  mount 
his  horse.  '  D'ye  think  a  mon  that's  drinking  his 
bottle  o'  whisky  a  day  can  do  a  deal  in  sheep  ? ' 

'  Good  Lord  !  You  don't  mean  to  say  that  Harlin 
drinks  like  that ! '  exclaimed  Toland  in  surprise. 

'  That's  aboot  it,'  replied  M'Intyre  ; '  and  excep'  that 
I  wadna  hae  ye  go  to  the  house  and  the  missis  have 
the  turnin'  awa  of  ye,  it's  nae  a  word  I'd  hae  telled  ye. 
Ye  may  as  well  get  back  and  I'll  send  word  if  Mr 
Harlin  will  sell.  Keep  your  mouth  shut,  as  the  boss 
only  goes  fair  off  his  head  once  in  a  whiles  and  the 
missis  don't  like  it  known.' 

Toland's  thoughts  on  his  homeward  ride  were  very 
different  from  those  in  which  he  had  indulged  so 
shortly  before.  Too  generous-minded  to  rejoice  in 
the  knowledge  of  any  man's  failing,  his  thoughts 
centred  themselves,  not  upon  Harlin,  but  upon  his 
wife. 

In  an  instant  she  stood  transformed  in  his  eyes. 
She  appeared  no  longer  the  haughty,  purse-proud 
woman,  raised  above  his  own  wife  by  the  witchcraft 
of  fortune,  but  as  a  sufferer  who  also  bore  her  burden 
bravely  in  solitude.  He  could  now  understand  there 
being  a  bond  of  sympathy  between  Mrs  Harlin  and 
Ruth,  and  he  began  to  reproach  himself  for  churlishly 
hindering  its  expansion.  When  he  reached  home  he 
found  Ruth  lying  down,  as  she  often  had  to  do  from 
sheer  exhaustion  during  the  great  heat  of  the  after- 
noon. He  sat  down  beside  her  and  said  quietly, — 

'  Why  didn't  you  tell  me  that  Harlin  was  a 
drunkard  ? ' 

'  Oh,  you  didn't  see  him  like  that,  did  you  ?  Poor 
Margaret ! ' 


1 58  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

'  Why  didn't  you  tell  me,  when  you  knew  I  judged 
her  wrongly  and  thought  she  only  wanted  to  patron- 
ise us  ?  She  has  her  trouble  and  leads  a  lonely  life 
on  account  of  it,  and  I've  helped  to  make  it  a  little 
harder  by  keeping  you  away  from  her.' 

'  She  told  me  the  secret  she  has  kept  for  so  long, 
and  I  promised  never  to  tell  a  soul.  She  has  been 
very  lonely  since  Rupert  went  to  school  and  her  little 
daughter  died  of  diphtheria,  and  once  she  said  she 
envied  me.' 

'  I  owe  her  gratitude  on  account  of  Mabel,'  said 
Toland,  gloomily,  '  and  have  paid  her  in  different  coin. 
I'm  sorry,  but  it  can't  be  helped.  I'll  try  and  think  a 
bit  more  kindly  of  her  and  hers.' 

'  She's  a  noble  woman,'  said  Ruth. 

1  It's  a  pity  she's  a  squatter's  wife,  and  that  we're 
only  what  they  call  "  blasted  cockies," '  said  Toland, 
somewhat  coldly,  as  he  picked  up  his  hat  and  walked 
out  of  the  room. 


CHAPTER   VII 

DECEMBER,  that  should  have  ushered  in  the  ripening 
summer,  differed  only  in  its  longer  days  of  shimmer- 
ing heat  from  the  preceding  month,  credited  by  the 
calendar  to  a  never-existing  spring.  The  sun  shone 
perhaps  a  little  hotter,  a  few  early  wheat-fields 
yellowed  rapidly  with  starved  heads  of  pinched  grain, 
but  cattle  were  grazing  most  of  the  sowed  paddocks ; 
and  very  few  reaping-machines  left  their  sheds  to  be 
put  in  gear  for  harvest. 

Toland  bore  his  losses  philosophically,  and  to 
Scott,  who  grumbled  all  day  long  at  disasters  less 
severe,  it  seemed  curious,  and  in  a  measure  a 
personal  affront,  that  his  brother-in-law  should  be  in 
a  more  equable  frame  of  mind  than  he  had  been  for 
several  past  years.  Analysing  neither  his  own 
feelings  nor  Toland's,  Scott  did  not  recognise  that 
buffets  from  Fate  and  Nature  had  called  forth  from 
Toland  a  grim  fortitude,  not  always  proof  against 
social  wrongs ;  and  he  would  have  learnt  with  surprise 
that  he  himself  had  long  derived  a  soothing  sense  of 
superiority  and  blessedness  from  comparing  his  good 
crops  and  good  temper  with  Toland's  smaller  yields 
and  increasing  bitterness. 

'  Cleaned  up '  for  tea,  he  leaned  on  the  garden  gate 
in  his  shirt  sleeves,  watching  the  last  crimson  of  a  fiery 
sunset  fade  from  the  sky.  '  Another  cursed  scorcher 
to-morrow,'  he  muttered,  and  turned  his  eyes  upon  a 


160  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

pair  of  riders  cantering  down  the  dusty  road  towards 
his  gate. 

Bess  came  out  from  the  verandah  and  slipped  her 
arm  through  his. 

'  That'll  be  Mabel  and  Joe,'  she  said.  '  I  thought 
likely  they'd  be  here  for  tea  to-night.' 

'  It  seems  to  me  you  might  think  it  likely  any 
night  and  not  be  far  wrong,'  answered  Scott,  surlily. 

'  You're  surely  not  grudging  them  the  bit  they  eat  ? ' 

'  Of  course  I'm  not,'  replied  Scott,  a  little  ashamed, 
'and  it's  not  that  they  come  after.  Isn't  young 
Harlin  coming  to-night  to  see  Mr  Conyngham  ? '  he 
added  with  a  cunning  grin. 

Bess  bunched  the  cornflowers  she  had  gathered 
into  a  satisfactorily  compact  mass  and  laughed. 

1  You're  very  clever,  but  youVe  got  the  cart  before 
the  horse.  Mabel  didn't  know  Rupert  Harlin  was 
coming,  but  I'm  not  saying  that  he  didn't  guess  she 
was.  And  what's  the  harm  ?' 

'  Who  talked  about  harm  ?  But  it's  a  bit  of  dashed 
nonsense  all  the  same,  and  you  know  John  wouldn't 
like  it.' 

'There's  many  a  good  thing  John  doesn't  like — 
John's  queer,  but  I  must  say  I've  not  seen  him  so 
quiet  and  reasonable-like  for  many  a  long  day.' 

'Quiet  enough,'  assented  Scott,  with  an  irritated 
laugh, '  but  I'm  hanged  if  I  see  how  he's  so  reason- 
able. Wasn't  he  going  about  with  a  long  face  talking 
about  his  stolen  rights  and  fool  talk  like  that,  cursing 
and  damning  every  well-to-do  man  in  the  neighbour- 
hood when  things  was  going  right  enough  with  him  ? 
And  now,  though  I'll  have  a  bag  or  two  of  wheat  for 
every  bushel  he  sees,  you'd  think  from  his  happy 
face  that  he  was  an  angel  with  a  ten-bag  crop.' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  161 

His  pipe  went  automatically  into  his  mouth  after 
this  long  deliverance. 

'  Don't  smoke  now — tea'll  be  directly,'  said  Bess, 
taking  the  plug  from  his  hand.  '  So  you're  cross  with 
poor  old  John  for  getting  a  bit  contented.'  She 
smiled  rather  sadly  and  sighed.  '  It's  a  blessed  thing 
for  poor  Ruth.  Time  was  I  set  myself  above  her, 
but  since  little  Bessie  went — 

'  None  o'  that,'  interrupted  Scott,  with  a  roughness 
that  stood  for  sympathy.  '  Jack's  right  enough,  but 
why  the  dickens  don't  he  growl  when  he's  got  some- 
thing to  growl  about  ?  That's  what  I'd  like  to  know.' 

His  problem  was  unanswered,  and  he  gave  Bess 
no  time  to  consider  the  matter. 

'  Joe,  you  young  vagabond  ! '  he  bawled  in  saluta- 
tion to  the  pair  just  arrived  within  shouting  distance. 
'  If  you  bring  that  pack  of  mongrels  down  here  again 
I'll  kick  you  off  the  place.  D'ye  hear  ? ' 

Joe  heard,  but  his  reply  was  fortunately  inaudible, 
and  a  second  later,  dismounting  and  taking  his  sister's 
horse,  the  boy  walked  off  to  the  stable-yard. 

Mabel  flicked  the  dust  from  her  riding-skirt  as  she 
went,  and  strolled  up  to  the  garden  gate,  followed  by 
four  kangaroo  dogs. 

'  It's  not  Joe's  fault ;  they  are  my  dogs,  uncle,'  she 
said,  laughing.  '  And  if  you  call  them  mongrels  again 
I  won't  come  near  the  place,  do  you  hear  that  ? ' 

She  kissed  her  aunt  and  shook  hands  with  her 
uncle,  whose  face  showed  that  her  at  least  he  was 
pleased  to  see. 

'  Don't  shut  the  gate,'  she  advised  him.  '  They  will 
only  jump  the  fence  and  do  more  harm  to  your  flower- 
beds, and  really,  if  you  shut  up  all  the  cats  I  don't 
see  that  they  can  get  into  much  mischief.' 

L 


1 62  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  You're  a  cool  hand,  Mab,  but  I'm  glad  to  see  you, 
my  dear — dogs  and  all — dash  'em  ! ' 

Scott  was  fond  of  his  wife's  pretty,  high-spirited 
niece,  though  he  often  suspected  she  was  making  fun 
of  him,  and  sometimes  she  openly  ruffled  his  dignity. 
But  his  displeasure  was  never  long  proof  against  a 
penitent  speech,  when  she  would  show  nothing  but 
the  long  lashes  of  her  grey  eyes,  avoiding  his  small 
peering  ones  lest  she  should  hurt  his  feelings  by 
laughing  again  in  the  midst  of  her  apology.  He 
compared  her  mentally  with  his  daughter  Bessie, 
whose  loss  he  felt  as  much  as  he  could  feel  anything, 
but  admitted  to  himself  that  Bessie  would  never  have 
been  Mabel's  equal.  His  wife,  too,  took  Mabel  closer 
to  her  heart  now  that  her  eldest  daughter  was  gone, 
but  if  she  ever  compared  the  girls,  it  was  not  to  find 
her  idealised  Bessie  inferior.  However,  on  another 
point  she  was  clearer  sighted  than  her  husband,  and 
knew  that  his  hopes  of  making  a  match  some  day 
between  Mabel  and  her  cousin,  Jimmy  Scott,  were 
doomed  to  disappointment — a  fact  which  she  re- 
garded with  resignation  in  view  of  other  and  more 
romantic  imaginings  for  Mabel's  future. 

She  encouraged  young  Harlin,  who  had  discovered 
many  knotty  points  in  his  vacation  studies  to  visit 
the  house  and  consult  upon  them  with  Conyngham. 
Scott  was  pleased  to  see  the  squatter's  son,  since,  in 
conversation  with  his  neighbours,  there  was  a  pleasing 
sound  about  such  casual  remarks  as, '  When  Rupert 
Harlin  was  at  my  place  last  night,'  or,  'as  I  was 
saying  to  young  Rupert  at  tea,'  and  others  of  the 
kind,  conveying  an  impression  of  familiar  relations 
with  Kumbarra. 

Harlin  was  not  at  tea  that  evening.     Scott  refused 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  163 

to  put  on  his  coat  for  Mabel,  who  wasn't  a  fine'lady — 
yet — he  said  meaningly.  Joe  and  Jim  wrangled, 
occasionally  getting  in  a  satisfactory  kick  at  one 
another's  shins,  and  four  smaller  Scotts,  constituting 
a  later  crop,  giggled  and  smeared  themselves  with 
treacle  at  the  end  of  the  table.  Mab  sat  next 
Conyngham,  answering  his  questions  concerning  her 
home  affairs  in  the  intervals  of  talk  with  her  aunt 
and  uncle,  with  a  pause  now  and  again  to  eat  a 
mouthful. 

By-and-by  the  springs  of  Scott's  humour  were 
loosened  by  beef  and  scones  and  he  turned  it  upon 
Joe. 

'  Have  you  got  your  handcuffs  about  you,  Joseph, 
my  lad  ?  No  ?  Perhaps  you've  got  a  baton  stuffed 
under  your  waistcoat,  then — or  is  it  only  pudding  and 
potatoes  ? ' 

Jimmy  laughed  disagreeably,  and  Joe,  flushing, 
intimated  sotto  voce"  that  he  was  quite  equal  to 
bashing  his  cousin's  head  in  without  the  aid  of  a 
baton. 

'Joe  doesn't  want  handcuffs  and  batons,'  said 
Mabel,  scornfully.  '  He's  going  to  be  a  mounted 
trooper  with  a  revolver  and  sword.' 

'  Why  don't  he  stick  to  honest  farming  work 
instead  of  meddling  with  such  things  ?  That's  what 
I  want  to  know.' 

'  That  is  his  business,  isn't  it — and  father's  ? ' 

Joe  went  on  with  his  tea,  feeling  that  his  battles 
were  safe  in  Mabel's  hands.  Scott  laughed  and  said 
he  was  only  having  a  bit  of  fun,  and  Conyngham 
changed  the  subject  by  asking  Mabel  if  she  had 
read  the  novel  that  he  had  sent  to  her  mother. 

Joe  and  Jim  who,  though  quarrelsome,  were  fairly 


164  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

good  friends,  went  off  after  tea  to  fish  in  a  deep 
reach  of  the  Tonga  where  perch  and  cod  bit  well  on 
the  warm  nights.  Rupert  Harlin  arrived  before  the 
boys  started,  but  declined,  after  some  hesitation,  to 
accompany  them.  It  would  be  very  jolly,  he  said, 
but  he  had  come  to  ask  Mr  Conyngham  to  construe 
a  difficult  passage  in  Virgil  with  him.  Mab  suggested 
that  there  would  be  plenty  of  time  for  the  translation 
when  he  returned  from  the  river,  whereat  he  grew 
red  but  stuck  to  his  point,  and  Conyngham  good- 
naturedly  interfered,  saying  that  he  should  be  writing 
later  on  but  that  he  would  be  glad  to  spare  half  an 
hour  for  the  Latin  if  Harlin  came  to  his  room  at 
once. 

Mabel  got  up  when  Harlin  and  the  schoolmaster 
were  leaving  the  kitchen,  saying  that  she  believed 
she  would  go  down  herself  to  see  what  sport  the  boys 
were  having,  and  Conyngham  smiled  at  the  cloud 
of  anger  and  disappointment  he  saw  cross  Harlin's 
expressive  features. 

Rupert  Harlin,  at  twenty,  was  a  fine-looking 
fellow,  tall  like  his  mother,  with  her  dark  eyes  and 
clear  skin,  and  his  lithe  figure  showed  to  advantage 
in  the  dark  coat  with  boots  and  riding-breeches  that 
he  wore.  He  was  a  lover  worth  tormenting, 
Conyngham  reflected,  and  Mabel  was  a  fortunate 
girl  to  have  the  doing  of  it.  That  Harlin  was,  or 
would  be,  in  love  with  Mabel,  and  that  she  would 
take  advantage  of  the  fact  to  hurt  his  vanity  and 
make  him  miserable  in  a  dozen  ways,  it  never 
occurred  to  Conyngham  to  doubt.  In  his  philosophy 
all  properly-constituted  young  men  of  twenty  fell 
in  love  with  the  prettiest  girl  of  their  acquaintance — 
sometimes  with  two  or  three — and  if  Mabel  had 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  165 

denied  emphatically  that  she  knew  Harlin  admired 
her,  or  that  her  determination  to  go  fishing  was 
designed  to  disconcert  him,  he  would  have  accepted 
the  assurance  and  put  the  incident  down  to  sub- 
conscious feminine  cerebration,  working  true  to  type. 
Human  nature  interested  him.  His  thoughts  were 
upon  it  more  than  the  Latin,  in  this  case  with  a 
kindly  bias  towards  the  particular  examples  of  it, 
which  he  condemned  as  unphilosophic  ;  and  Harlin, 
with  his  thoughts  on  the  mosquito-haunted  river 
bank,  was  cursing  Virgil  and  trying  to  think  hard 
things  of  Mabel. 

'  Ah,  yes  !  The  moods  in  those  indirect  questions 
are  sometimes  puzzling,'  said  Conyngham,  closing 
the  book  with  a  yawn  when  the  farce  had  continued 
for  ten  minutes.  He  looked  at  Harlin  with  a 
quizzical  smile.  '  I  believe  you  might  catch  them 
now,  if  you  ran  fast  enough  and  are  not  too  proud.' 

Harlin  met  his  glance  with  surprise,  and  reddened. 

'  I  don't  know  what  you  mean,'  he  began  with  an 
attempt  at  haughtiness.  Then  he  laughed  and 
corrected  himself.  'At  least  I  do — but  I  think  it's 
rather  rough  on  a  fellow  to  rot  him  like  that,  you 
know — and  I  won't  run  after  anybody.  I'm  going 
home.  Good-night,  Mr  Conyngham.' 

'  Good-night !  As  a  type  you  are  perhaps  common- 
place. For  you,  individually,  I  confess  to  interest — 
almost  to  sympathy.  Come  again.' 

He  got  up  and  gravely  opened  the  door  for  the 
puzzled  boy,  who  passed  into  the  yard,  uncertain 
whether  to  be  amused  or  angry.  Conyngham  went 
back  to  his  armchair,  and,  clasping  his  hands  behind 
his  head,  gazed  at  the  damp-stained  ceiling. 

'  Ah,  Youth,  Youth  ! '  he  sighed.     '  How  important 


166  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

you  are,  and  how  eternally  the  same!  She  goes 
fishing  to  avoid  you  now.  Ten  years  hence  you  will 
go  fishing,  and  she  will  cry  and  think  you  do  it  to 
avoid  her— whether  you  do  or  not.'  Conyngham 
felt  tor  his  pipe  while  his  thoughts  wandered  from 
Mabel's  and  Rupert's  affairs  to  his  own;  and  he 
found  himself  patterning  a  face — with  some  of  the 
features  like  Mabel's — too  distinctly  on  the  canvas 
overhead.  '  This  won't  do,'  he  muttered,  checking 
himself.  '  Old  fools  are  as  bad  as  young  ones — and 
not  so  honest.' 

Meanwhile  Harlin,  in  an  injured  frame  of  mind, 
walked  round  the  house  from  the  schoolmaster's  room 
towards  the  kitchen  to  say  good-night  to  the  Scotts. 

Bess  was  putting  the  younger  children  to  bed,  and 
Mabel  looked  up  with  a  smile  at  Harlin 's  be- 
wildered expression  as  his  eye  fell  on  her  sitting  at 
the  end  of  the  table  playing  draughts  with  her  uncle. 

Without  a  moon  it  was  too  rough  a  track  that 
led  through  thistles  and  bracken  to  the  river,  she 
explained,  so  she  had  changed  her  mind  about  the 
fishing  ;  and  Rupert  had  just  presence  of  mind  to 
change  his  before  betraying  his  intention  of  immediate 
departure.  He  brought  a  chair  to  the  table,  and  was 
silently  happy,  in  spite  of  a  snub  he  received  for 
suggesting  a  move  to  Mabel,  who  won  the  game 
with  three  kings  to  spare. 

Scott  grumbled,  gave  several  convincing  reasons 
why  he  should  have  won,  and  then  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  Harlin,  questioning  him  about  his  parents  and 
the  station  affairs  with  a  mixture  of  familiarity  and 
deference  which  grated  on  Mabel,  while  the  scarcely- 
veiled  distaste  with  which  Rupert  answered  them  put 
her  further  on  edge. 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  167 

,  The  Toland  blood  in  her  resented  the  difference,  to 
which  she  could  not  blind  herself,  between  the  tone 
and  station  of  her  relative  and  his  visitor. 

'  Do  stop  talking  about  droughts  and  sheep,'  she 
said  at  last.  '  I  get  so  tired  of  them  at  home.' 

'  It's  the  first  time  I  ever  heard  you  had  any  sheep 
at  home,  my  dear,'  rejoined  Scott. 

'There  are  lots — getting  thin  in  our  best  wheat 
paddock,  and  we  have  enough  drought  to  make  up, 
at  anyrate,'  she  laughed.  'Come  and  play  me 
draughts,  Mr  Harlin— I'm  almost  sure  I  can  beat 
you ;  and  the  winner  can  give  uncle  another  beating.' 

Harlin  knew  nothing  about  the  game,  but  as  he 
was  not  anxious  to  win  that  was  of  small  importance, 
and  he  willingly  took  Scott's  seat.  They  were 
arranging  the  draughtsmen  when  the  dogs  roused 
themselves  and  rushed  barking  out  to.  the  gate. 

'  Another  visitor  ! '  growled  Scott.  '  It  looks  as  if 
the  whole  country  was  coming  down  on  me  to-night.' 

Mabel's  and  Rupert's  eyes  met  in  a  smile  of 
sympathy. 

'  Isn't  that  nice  for  you,  uncle  ? '  she  said  sweetly, 
holding  black  and  white  men  behind  her  back  for  Har- 
lin to  choose  from.  '  Are  you  going  to  see  who  it  is  ?  ' 

Scott  had  already  gone,  and  Harlin  was  nervously 
congratulating  himself  on  being  alone  with  Mabel, 
wondering  what  use  to  make  of  such  a  boon,  when  it 
was  snatched  from  him  by  the  re-entrance  of  Mrs 
Scott,  bearing  marks  of  the  final  tussle  with  re- 
calcitrant bed-goers. 

'  They'll  be  the  death  of  me  ! '  she  sighed.  '  And 
Georgie's  really  getting  too  big  to  bite.' 

'  You  surely  don't  bite  him,  aunt ! '  exclaimed  Mabel 
in  astonished  tones. 


1 68  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  Mercy,  no !  The  idea !  I  mean  for  him  to  be  at 
such  tricks— seven  years  old,  you  know,  and  with 
teeth  like— oh,  get  along,  Mab !  You're  always 
making  fun  with  that  solemn  face.'  Bess  laughed, 
joining  in  a  merry  peal  from  Mab  and  Rupert,  and 
pulled  down  the  sleeve  she  was  rolling  up  to  evidence 
Georgie's  dental  atrocities. 

'  I  beg  your  pardon,  Aunt  Bess.  It  is  a  shame  to 
tease  you,'  said  Mabel.  '  It's  your  move,  Mr  Harlin  ; 
it  always  is  your  move.' 

Bess  took  her  work-bag  from  a  shelf  and  inquired 
what  had  become  of  her  husband  when  he  and  the 
just-arrived  visitor  entered  the  room  together. 

'  Here's  Mr  Mallock  has  just  dropped  in  as  it  were 
to  give  us  a  look  up,'  said  Scott,  announcing  his  guest 
with  an  embarrassed  attempt  at  heartiness. 

'  That's  kind  now.  I'm  glad  to  see  you,'  joined  in 
Bess,  hospitably  mendacious,  shaking  hands  and 
dusting  a  spotless  chair  for  the  visitor. 

'  Thank  you,  ma'am,'  said  Mallock.  '  I  hoped 
you'd  take  it  that  way.  I  thought  to  myself  to-night, 
"  It's  small  use  having  good  neighbours  like  Mr  and 
Mrs  Scott  if  you  don't  sometimes  drop  in,  and  better 
late  than  never !  "  So,  as  it  was  a  fine  night,  with  not 
much  business  doing,  I  just  saddled  my  horse,  and 
here  I  am/ 

Harlin  glanced  with  surprise  at  Mabel,  who  had 
swept  the  draughts  off  the  board  and  risen  from  her 
seat  at  the  far  end  of  the  table. 

'  Beast ! '  she  muttered,  with  an  angry  gleam  in  her 
eyes. 

'  Steady,'  whispered  Rupert,  admiringly.  '  He'll 
hear  you.' 

'  I  don't  care  if  he  does.' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  169 

It  did  not  seem  that  Mallock  had  heard.  He 
appeared  to  have  only  just  become  aware  of  the 
young  people's  presence,  and  came  towards  them  with 
outstretched  hand  and  the  thick  red  lips  parted  in  a 
wider  smile. 

'  Well,  I  am  in  luck/  he  said.  '  Who'd  ha'  thought 
to  meet  Miss  Mabel  and  Master  Rupert  here  ?  It's 
bringin'  a  lot  of  pretty  young  birds  down  with  one 
stone  and  no  mistake.' 

Mabel  vouchsafed  an  unwilling  '  good  evening,' 
but  coldly  and  deliberately  ignored  the  hand  he 
offered,  keeping  both  her  own  behind  her  back. 
Harlin,  with  less  dignity,  dived  beneath  the  table  in 
search  of  an  imaginary  draughtsman,  remaining  there 
chuckling  to  himself  till  the  danger  was  past.  He 
would  have  readily  cut  Mallock  in  the  open,  but  had 
some  scruples  about  adding  a  knock-out  blow  to 
Mabel's,  when  the  man  was  a  fellow-guest,  however 
unwelcome,  in  another  man's  house. 

Mallock,  however,  was  not  disconcerted.  He  had 
heard  that  Mabel  was  at  the  farm,  and  to  see  her 
was  the  purpose  of  his  visit ;  but  he  was  aware  she  did 
not  like  him,  and,  reckoning  on  some  day  making  her 
change  her  tune,  he  choked  a  sudden  impulse  of  rage 
and  turned,  smiling  still,  towards  Mr  and  Mrs  Scott. 

'  I  am  going  home,  aunt,'  announced  Mabel,  calmly. 

'  Gracious,  child  !  it's  not  after  nine  yet,  and  Joe 
won't  be  home  for  an  hour.' 

'  I  don't  care.  I  must  set  the  bread  or  mother  will 
do  it.  Mr  Harlin  will  see  me  home — won't  you  ? ' 

Rupert  nearly  jumped  with  delight  as  she  turned 
to  him,  but  he  managed  to  say  fairly  soberly  that  he 
would  be  very  pleased,  and  started  off  to  get  the 
horses. 


1 70  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

1 1  will  go  with  you  to  the  stables,'  said  Mabel, '  if 
you  wait  half  a  minute.'  Her  cap  was  hanging  on 
the  wall.  Her  farewells  were  short  Bess  was 
flustered,  Scott  angry,  Mallock  inscrutable  and  self- 
contained,  not  risking  a  second  snub.  Scott  blunder- 
ingly suggested  that  Toland  might  not  like  Mabel 
riding  home  alone  with  a  young  man.  Mabel  blushed 
furiously,  but  managed  to  laugh. 

'It's  very  kind  of  you,  uncle,'  she  said,  'to  take 
such  an  interest  in  father's  affairs,  but  really  he  can 
manage  them  for  himself.' 

'  Much  chance  you  give  him,'  muttered  Scott  with 
some  justice  as  Mabel  left  the  room,  and  Mallock, 
chuckling,  said  girls  would  be  girls,  and  he  liked  a 
filly  with  a  bit  of  devil  in  her. 

'  I  hate  him — I  can't  breathe  in  the  same  room 
with  him ! '  said  Mabel  with  a  long  sigh  when  they 
got  into  the  open  air. 

'  You  certainly  let  him  see  pretty  straight  what  you 
thought,'  laughed  Harlin.  'He's  a  bad  man  to 
offend,  though.' 

Mabel  sniffed  contemptuously.  '  I'll  offend  who 
I  choose,'  she  said. 

In  a  minute  or  two  they  had  started  on  their  ride, 
and  talked  of  indifferent  subjects  for  a  time,  Rupert 
despairingly  watching  mile  after  mile  of  his  longed- 
for  opportunity  go  by  without  venturing  to  say 
anything  the  whole  world  might  not  hear. 

'  Why  do  you  hate  Mallock  so  awfully  much  ? '  he 
asked  at  length. 

'  For  every  reason.'  The  darkness  hid  her  blushes. 
She  felt  impelled  to  tell  Rupert,  and  she  continued, 
after  a  pause, '  Most  of  all,  I  think,  because  I  believe 
he  actually  wants  to  make  love  to  me.' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  i?i 

Rupert's  horse  gave  a  sudden  bound,  the  victim  of 
a  vicious  stroke  of  the  spurs  intended  in  fancy  for 
Mallock. 

'  The  old  blackguard  ! '  he  said.  '  I  can  scarcely 
even  imagine  him  daring.'  Then,  with  a  nervous 
gulp,  '  You  wouldn't  hate  everyone  who  fell  in  love 
with  you,  would  you?' 

'  No  one  else  ever  has,'  answered  Mabel,  non- 
committingly. 

'  Yes,  they  have.  I  have,'  he  said  boldly,  the  words 
coming  freely  enough  now,  'ever  so  much  and  for 
ever.'  He  reined  his  horse  closer  to  Mabel's  and 
tried  to  sse  into  her  face,  which  she  kept  turned  away. 
She  laughed  softly,  but  said  nothing  till  Rupert  broke 
in  again  hotly.  '  Will  you  only  laugh  ?  Am  I  not 
even  worth  answering  ?  ' 

'  I  only  laughed  because  it  seems  so  queer,'  she 
said.  '  I  like  you  very  much,  but  it's  silly  to  talk 
about — like  you  did,  you  know.  You  are  only  a  boy.' 

'  I  am  twenty.' 

'  Well,  that's  not  very  old.  You're  the  dearest  boy 
I  know,  Rupert,  but  that's  because — ' 

'  Never  mind  why — say  "  and  always  will  be," '  broke 
in  Rupert,  catching  her  bridle  hand  in  his  fingers, 
'  and  I  will  be  satisfied.' 

'  But  how  do  I  know  ? '  she  laughed. 

'Just  say  it,  and  I  will  trust  you  to  know.' 

'  And  always  will  be,'  she  murmured  in  a  rather 
tremulous  voice.  '  I  don't  know — you  are  silly  to 
make  me  say  it,'  and,  snatching  her  hand  away,  she 
whipped  her  horse  into  a  canter. 

There  was  no  chance  to  say  anything  more  for  a 
time,  and  Rupert,  in  a  glow  of  happiness,  felt  that 
having  gained  so  much  it  was  wise  to  be  content. 


1 72  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

When  their  horses  fell  into  a  walk  again,  Mabel 
herself  returned  to  the  subject,  and  her  quiet,  womanly 
voice,  in  spite  of  his  three  years'  seniority,  almost 
overawed  Rupert. 

'  Uncle  George  was  right,'  she  said.  '  Father  will  be 
angry  at  your  riding  home  with  me — and  would  be 
angrier  still  if  he  knew  what  we  had  been  saying.' 

Rupert  made  a  gesture  of  impatience. 

'  I  don't  myself  think  parents  or  anyone  else  have  a 
right  to  stop  people  liking  each  other  if  they  are  nice,' 
she  continued,  '  but ' — with  a  sigh — '  it's  not  only  my 
father  and  mother.  There  are  your  people — they 
might  only  laugh  now,  but  you  know  how  angry 
they'd  be  if  you  were  a  little  older  and  you  told  them 
you  liked  me.' 

'  Not  mother,'  he  answered  with  assurance.  '  Dad, 
perhaps — but  poor  old  dad,  you  know — or  at  least 
you  don't  know — ' 

'  Yes,  I  do,'  she  said  softly  ;  '  and  I'm  sorry.  That's 
another  reason  you  oughtn't  to  offend  him.  You 
must  promise  me  not  to  say  anything  like  this — oh, 
for  ages  to  come.' 

'  I  promise,'  he  said,  '  and  I  couldn't  for  a  long 
time,  except  in  letters,  because  I'm  going  to  England 
next  week.' 

Mabel's  cheeks  suddenly  lost  their  colour  and,  in 
spite  of  an  effort  to  prevent  it,  her  voice  trembled. 

*  Why  didn't  you  tell  me  before  ? '  she  asked. 

'  Because  I  wasn't  going  to  come  trying  to  sneak 
you  into  liking  me  because  I  wasn't  there  and  it 
wouldn't  be  much  trouble,'  he  answered,  with  a 
meaning  clear  enough  in  his  own  mind,  which  Mabel 
seemed  to  grasp. 

She   made    no    comment    but    thought   her  own, 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  173 

thoughts    for    a    time    and    then    broke    her    own 
compact. 

'  I  expect  when  you  see  all  the  girls  in  England 
and  everywhere  you'll  forget  all  about  me.' 

There  followed  a  torrent  of  protestation  which  she 
had  no  excuse  to  stop,  and  which  was  at  least  ex- 
citing and  flattering  to  hear.  She  told  him  how 
longingly  she  envied  him  the  delights  of  travel  and 
university  life  before  settling  down  upon  the  station, 
and  he  said  there  was  no  need  for  envy,  for  some  day 
they  should  go  again  and  see  all  that  he  had  seen 
together,  and  after  all  he  was  only  a  child — as  she 
had  herself  said — and  would  not  appreciate  it  yet. 
Mabel  tried  to  make  him  understand  that  it  was 
his  youth  she  had  been  insisting  on  ;  and,  in  light- 
hearted,  laughing  dispute  the  miles  flew  by  like 
one. 

Harlin  said  he  would  ride  back  to  Scott's  and  spend 
the  night  there,  and  Mabel  felt  with  a  new  bitterness 
that  only  misconceptions  and  narrowness  prevented 
her  from  offering  him  the  hospitality  of  her  own 
home.  In  an  hour's  ride  so  many  individual  rights 
and  claims  seemed  to  have  sprung  into  existence. 

Rupert  rode  with  her  to  the  harness-room  door  to 
take  the  saddle  off  her  horse.  He  knew  it  would 
be  fatal  to  ask  permission — he  guessed  she  would 
be  angry — but,  deciding  it  worth  the  risk,  when  she 
gave  him  her  hand  to  say  good-night,  his  other  arm 
went  round  her  neck,  and  raising  her  face  to  his  he 
kissed  her. 

'  Good-bye,  dear  Mab,'  he  whispered  ;  and  leaping 
on  his  horse  was  gone  before  she  could  reproach  him 
or  protest. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

DECEMBER,  January  and  February  passed  with 
molten  skies  from  which  the  sun  blazed  down  in  all- 
consuming  wrath,  so  that  it  seemed  as  if  the  world 
must  shrivel  up  like  paper  drawn  through  flame. 
Grass  became  innutritious  straw,  creeks  turned  into 
hot  shingle  beds,  bottoms  of  dams  and  water-holes 
baked  hard  with  sun-cracks  which  divided  them  into 
little  squares.  Even  the  song  of  the  Tonga  was  still. 
Its  loud  murmur  could  no  longer  be  heard  in  the  hush 
of  evening  or  the  silence  of  night ;  for  where  once  the 
river  flowed  in  exuberant  mirth,  there  was  now  only 
a  chain  of  water-holes  growing  green  with  slime.  The 
forest  trees  dropped  and  exotics  died.  Men  became 
sapless,  but  still  worked  on,  fated  to  toil  everlastingly, 
heedless  alike  of  summer  blaze  or  wintry  storm. 

March  came,  and  the  air  turned  sultry  and  more 
oppressive,  and  life  was  even  less  endurable. 

At  least,  so  thought  Ruth  as  she  sat  in  the  shade 
of  what  leaves  the  locusts  had  left  on  the  elms,  and 
wondered  if  the  sun  would  ever  go  down  behind  the 
hills  and  relief  come  from  the  fiery  torment.  So  she 
sat  and  thought  for  an  hour  with  some  needlework 
lying  untouched  on  her  lap,  when  diversion  came  in 
the  person  of  Conyngham,  who  rode  up,  attended  by 
a  vast  and  persistent  convoy  of  flies,  which  he  tried 
in  vain  to  swish  away  with  a  piece  of  wattle  branch. 
He  tied  his  horse  in  a  shady  spot  and  entered  the 
little  brown  garden. 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  175 

'  Good-day,  Mrs  Toland.  I  see  you  haven't  aban- 
doned hope  of  keeping  cool.' 

Ruth  gave  him  a  welcoming  smile.  'Well,  it's 
almost  hopeless.  I'm  just  waiting  for  the  sun  to  go 
down.  Won't  you  get  yourself  a  chair?  I  think 
this  is  the  coolest  spot  to  be  found.' 

'  This  will  do,  thank  you,'  he  replied,  as  he  sat  on 
the  ground  facing  her  and  leant  against  the  trunk  of 
the  tree.  '  Where  is  your  good  man  ? ' 

'  He  is  away,  poor  fellow,  with  Joe.  They've  gone 
to  drag  a  bullock  out  of  a  water-hole  where  it  got 
bogged  and  hadn't  strength  to  move.' 

'  What  hard  luck !  Have  the  stock  become  as 
weak  as  that  ? ' 

'  Yes ;  they  seem  to  be  nothing  but  skin  and  bone. 
It's  dreadfully  sad  to  see  the  poor  brutes  standing 
with  their  heads  down  and  the  crows  hovering  over 
them.  John  is  afraid  they  will  nearly  all  die  during 
the  winter  if  they  live  till  then.' 

'  It's  hard  luck,  and  no  mistake,'  reiterated  Conyng- 
ham.  '  I  suppose  he's  very  cut  up  ? ' 

'  He  must  be,'  replied  Ruth,  '  but  he  says  very  little 
about  it,  and  is  much  more  cheerful  than  I  thought 
he  would  be.  He  just  works  as  if  nothing  particular 
were  happening,  though  he  is  more  silent  than 
usual.' 

'  You  may  be  sure  that  whatever  happens  he  will 
fight  it  out  to  the  end,'  said  Conyngham,  pensively, 
crushing  a  bull-dog  ant  that  had  crawled  upon  his 
boot. 

'  Yes,  he  would  make  a  good  soldier,'  said  Ruth. 

'Oh,  I  don't  think  much  of  a  soldier's  bravery. 
Trumpet  and  drums,  honour  and  glory,  excitement 
and  desire  to  kill  make  an  ordinary  man  fit  to  do 


i76  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

anything.  But  no  ordinary  man  can  fight  the  fight 
in  the  solitude  of  the  bush  without  a  murmur.' 

'  Yes  ;  it  is  hard,'  said  Ruth,  looking  pleased  at  her 
husband's  commendation.  'Yet,  all  the  same/  she 
continued  after  a  pause,  'I  think  it  must  require 
some  bravery  to  be  a  soldier.' 

'Some,  perhaps,'  assented  Conyngham,  as  he 
watched  a  smoke  ring  rise  from  his  pipe ;  '  but  I  can 
almost  imagine  myself,  when  intoxicated  with  the 
devilry  of  it  all,  being  so  foolish  as  to  rush  into 
danger  on  a  battlefield,  whereas,  if  I  were  in  your 
husband's  place,  I  should  just  sit  down,  light  my 
pipe  and  let  the  place  go  to — well,  what  it  is  very 
like  at  present,  with  the  thermometer  at  a  hundred 
and  four  in  the  shade.' 

'  I  don't  think  that,'  said  Ruth,  smiling.  '  You 
would  not  like  the  idea  of  failing  in  what  you  had  at- 
tempted ;  it  is  a  matter  of  pride  as  well  as  courage.' 

'  You  think  not  ? '  Conyngham  replied  with  a  tinge 
of  bitterness  in  his  tone.  '  I  am  afraid  that  you  flatter 
me  and  that  I  am  a  very  complacent  failure  as  it  is. 
Fortune  dealt  me  one  hard  blow,  and  I  turned  and 
fled  until  I  found  a  spot  where  not  even  the  faintest 
echo  could  reach  me  from  the  battlefield — where  I 
couldn't  even  hear  as  a  murmur  "  the  shouting  of  the 
captains  and  the  men-at-arms." ' 

'  Do  you  never  repent  it  ? '  asked  Ruth,  looking  up 
from  her  needlework  into  Conyngham's  face. 

A  cynical  reply  came  to  his  lips,  but  he  raised  his 
eyes  at  that  moment  and  met  her  sympathetically- 
questioning  look. 

'  Sometimes.' 

'  Then  why  do  you  not  return  ? ' 

He  looked  at  her  and  smiled. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  177 

'  That  question  requires  a  little  self-analysis  to 
answer.  In  the  first  place,  I  am  indolent  and  hate 
change ;  in  the  second,  the  bush  holds  me  in  its  thrall. 
I  came  to  rest  for  a  breathing  space,  but  it  looks  like 
lengthening  out  to  include  my  life.  Sometimes  I 
think  I'll  go,  but  get  tired  of  the  idea  before  giving 
effect  to  it.  I  know  I  am  weak — weak  as  a  woman 
who  shuts  herself  up  in  a  nunnery  to  escape  the  strife 
of  the  world.  But  after  all  it's  of  no  consequence. 
Excuse  so  long  an  explanation  over  so  small  a  matter, 
but  I  had  to  find  some  excuse  for  not  ridding  you  of 
me  when  you  seem  to  think  I  should.' 

'  Don't  say  that,  Mr  Conyngham,'  said  Ruth,  de- 
precatingly.  '  You  know  we  should  miss  you  dread- 
fully if  you  left.  Talking  to  you  is  about  the  only 
pleasure  John  has — though  I'm  afraid  sometimes  you 
put  dangerous  ideas  into  his  head.' 

'  Those  dangerous  ideas  are  prompted  by  his  heart, 
and  at  most  I  help  to  show  how  they  are  supported 
by  the  head.' 

'  And  then  there  is  Mab.  She  wouldn't  know 
what  to  do  with  herself  if  you  didn't  teach  her  to 
take  an  interest  in  many  things.  The  daughters  of 
the  farmers  about  are  all  trying  to  get  employment 
in  Melbourne  as  domestic  servants  or  factory  girls, 
and  after  all,  considering  the  lives  they  lead,  one 
cannot  blame  them  for  wanting  to  leave  their  homes.' 

'  Well,  Mab  will  never  be  a  domestic  servant  or  a 
factory  girl,'  said  Conyngham  with  a  smile,  as  he 
thought  of  his  fascinating  and  masterful  young  pupil. 
'  I  prophesy  some  fairer  fortune  for  her.' 

'  I  don't  know  how  it  is  to  come  to  her,  poor  child,' 
sighed  Ruth.  '  The  lot  of  a  selector's  daughter  isn't  a 
very  happy  one.  Mab's  is  better  than  most,  of  course, 

M 


1 78  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

since  she  doesn't  have  to  slave  at  milking  and  things 
of  that  kind.  Her  father  says  he  doesn't  want 
women  farm-hands.  But  still  there  are  no  amuse- 
ments, no  social  intercourse  and  no  light-heartedness 
anywhere.' 

'  That's  true,'  said  Conyngham, '  and  the  education 
provided  by  the  State  is  just  sufficient  to  make  them 
discontented  with  a  purely  animal  life  without  supply- 
ing a  fund  for  the  mind's  self-support.  It  enables 
them  to  read  of  the  pomps  and  vanities  of  the 
wicked  world  beyond  the  little  clearing,  and  naturally, 
having  inherited  the  spirit  of  their  parents,  they  want 
to  be  off  to  where  they  fondly  believe  fortunes  are  to 
be  won  and  some  happiness  to  be  obtained.' 

'  Don't  you  think  that  if  they  had  altogether  the 
spirit  of  their  fathers  they  would  stay  ?  '  said  Ruth. 

'  No,  I  think  not.  It  would  be  demanding  more  of 
the  children  than  was  required  of  the  fathers.  Things 
are  changed  since  the  days  when  the  pioneers  settled 
in  the  land.  They  did  so,  flushed  with  hopes  of  in- 
dependence and  prosperity.  Those  hopes  have 
largely  vanished  now,  but  the  never-ending,  joyless 
toil  remains.  This  is  the  heritage  the  children  find 
themselves  born  to ;  and  no  wonder  they  are  eager  to 
relinquish  it  for  the  first  mess  of  more  highly-seasoned 
pottage  with  which  they  are  tempted.' 

'You  do  not  encourage  me  much  as  to  the 
future  of  my  children,'  said  Ruth,  with  a  sad  smile. 
'  Do  you  include  them  among  the  others  ?  ' 

'  Not  altogether.  Joe  may  be  true  to  his  juvenile 
intention  of  becoming  a  trooper,  but  I  have  greater 
hopes  for  Mab.' 

'  What  are  they  ?     Do  tell  me.' 

'Well,   you    are    imposing    on    me    a    distinctly 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  179 

feminine  task,  and  making  me  avow  speculations 
that  are  incongruous  in  a  gloomy  misogynist,  but 
I  must  admit  that  I  have  foreseen  the  possibility 
of  Mab's  being  one  day  the  mistress  of  Kumbarra.' 

Ruth  dropped  her  needlework  and  pondered, 
looking  at  the  far-off  purple  hills. 

'  Do  you  think  there  is  anything  in  that,  then  ? ' 
she  said  presently.  '  I  mean  that  Mab  and  Rupert 
Harlin  are  in  love  with  each  other.' 

Conyngham  meditatively  enveloped  himself  in  a 
cloud  of  smoke,  seeming  to  gain  inspiration  there- 
from like  a  priestess  of  Apollo.  It  was  a  habit  with 
him,  whenever  he  spoke  on  any  subject  dealing  with 
human  emotions,  to  enshroud  himself  in  tobacco 
smoke  and  his  thoughts  in  verbiage. 

'  Now  you  ask  me  a  question  that  I  find  difficult 
to  answer,  because  I  cannot  possibly  conceive  the 
essentials  of  that  condition.  Nor  would  I  dare  to 
affirm  that,  given  they  were  in  love  with  each  other, 
as  you  term  it,  that  they  would  consequently  marry. 
My  chief  experience  in  such  matters  has  been  of 
a  woman  in  love  with  one  man  marrying  another. 
Consequently,  you  must  acquit  me  of  the  foolishness 
of  deducting  matrimony  from  the  premise  love.  I 
prefer  to  leave  love  out  of  the  question,  as  neither 
here  nor  there,  and  find  the  probability  of  what  I 
have  suggested  in  the  often-observed  result  of  en- 
vironment, contiguity  and  natural  proneness  to  folly 
in  the  young.' 

Ruth  smiled  as  she  gradually  unravelled  his 
speech,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  all  meant 
nothing. 

'  Well,'  she  said,  '  I  never  really  thought  of  it  as 
probable,  and  hope  it  is  not  the  case ;  for  her  father 


i8o  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

would  be  furious  if  he  thought  Mab  had  encouraged 
him.' 

'That  I  am  sure  she  has  never  done.  In  fact, 
I  fancy  she  has  considerably  reduced  the  young 
gentleman,  for  whom  I  have  a  great  liking,  in  his 
own  estimation.  He's  safe  in  England  now,  but 
he  has  a  steadfast  sort  of  nature,  and  I  shouldn't 
be  surprised  if  you  have  to  get  your  husband  to 
abandon  his  resentment  for  the  sake  of  his  daughter.' 

'  I'm  afraid  I  never  could — at  anyrate  not  with- 
out your  assistance.' 

'  My  services  as  a  matrimonial  agent  are  always 
at  your  disposal.  I  see  your  husband  coming  and 
will  go  and  meet  him.' 

Conyngham  rose  and  looked  at  Ruth  for  a 
moment  while  her  eyes  were  searching  for  her 
husband.  '  Toujours  votre  serviteur,  madame,'  he 
said  in  an  undertone,  as  he  raised  his  hat.  Then 
he  turned  and  walked  away  in  his  customary  long 
stride,  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  ground. 

Ruth  watched  the  retreating  figure  for  a  few  seconds. 

1  What  a  strange  man  and  what  a  ruined  life ! ' 
she  said  musingly,  as  she  remembered  how  every 
now  and  then  in  their  conversation  a  grief,  repressed 
and  crushed  out  of  sight,  had  almost  revealed  itself 
through  the  mists  of  expression.  Then  her  thoughts 
wandered  on  to  what  Conyngham  had  said  of  Mab 
and  Rupert,  and,  in  spite  of  the  barriers  in  the  way, 
she  could  not  help  feeling  glad,  as  Conyngham 
had  intended  she  should,  and  she  hoped  that  he 
might  be  right. 

There  was  no  time  to  think  of  it  further,  for 
Toland  and  Conyngham  were  walking  up  from  the 
stable  to  join  her. 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  181 

When  they  were  some  distance  off  she  saw  the 
former  stop  and  point  to  a  far-away  range. 

Wondering  what  it  was  that  interested  them,  she 
rose  and  looked  in  the  same  direction.  Toland, 
however,  was  only  pointing  out  to  his  companion 
a  pillar  of  smoke  that  had  been  rising  for  days 
past  from  the  Wallaby  Table  Lands. 

She  knew  there  was  nothing  to  fear  as  her  husband 
had  told  her  it  was  fifty  miles  away  at  least.  She 
would  not  have  felt  so  satisfied  if  she  had  heard 
the  conversation. 

'  It  draws  a  little  closer  every  day,'  Toland  was 
saying.  '  I'm  told  it  is  off  the  Table  Land  and  has 
started  to  make  its  way  down  the  ranges  towards 
the  valley.  We  shall  have  to  do  something  before 
long.' 

'  Well,  John,  dear,  have  you  had  a  very  miserable 
day  ? '  she  asked,  as  the  two  men  approached. 

'  Not  too  pleasant,'  he  replied,  mopping  his  head. 

'  You  didn't  find  any  more  dead  ones  ? '  she  asked 
anxiously. 

1  Only  five.' 

'  How  dreadful ! ' 

'  I  suppose  it's  no  use  selling  stock  now,'  said 
Conyngham. 

'At  the  last  market,'  replied  Toland,  'sheep  sold 
for  a  shilling  a  head  and  steers  for  a  few  shillings. 
The  graziers  on  the  table  lands  are  killing  their  stock 
for  the  hides  and  the  farmers  on  the  plains  have  to 
cart  water  thirty  miles.' 

'  It's  a  bad  lookout  certainly,'  said  Conyngham. 
'  This  is  March,  and  we've  only  had  a  shower  since 
the  beginning  of  October.' 

'  Well,  let's  hope  things  will  be  better  after  the  day 


1 82  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

of  humiliation  and  prayer  I  see  the  Government  has 
appointed,'  said  Toland,  sardonically.  '  For  my  part 
I'd  rather  be  cheered  up  than  humiliated  any  more; 
and  as  for  praying,  I  find  more  relief  in  cursing. 
How  long  will  it  be  to  supper,  missis?' 

'  Mab  is  seeing  about  it  now,  and  as  the  sun  is 
down  I'll  help  her  to  get  it  at  once.' 

'Come  and  have  a  wash,'  said  Toland,  as  Ruth 
left  them.  'There's  only  stagnant  water  in  the 
creek,  but  the  well  is  still  going.  By  Heaven,  it 
was  beastly  work  pulling  that  rotting  carrion  out 
of  the  mud.  The  stench  turned  Joe  up.  It's  a 
great  thing  to  be  a  farmer,  and  no  mistake ! ' 

At  supper  Conyngham  entertained  them,  as  he 
was  in  the  habit  of  doing,  with  news  of  the  outside 
world  culled  from  the  papers  and  magazines.  He 
took  a  delight  in  starting  a  general  discussion  and 
in  summing  up  with  some  startling  dictum  contrary 
to  all  sane  views  held  on  the  subject.  It  amused 
Toland  and  always  annoyed  Scott,  who  liked  every- 
body to  be  practical  and  unoriginal.  Mab  enjoyed 
it  too,  for  she  dearly  loved  making  fun  of  everything 
herself,  and  knew  that  this  was  Conyngham's  way  of 
doing  it. 

After  supper  the  two  men  went  out  on  the  verandah 
to  smoke,  and  later  on  Ruth  joined  them.  Just  as 
she  was  going  to  sit  down  something  caught  her 
attention. 

1  Look,  John  ! '  she  exclaimed,  pointing  towards  the 
range.  '  There  is  the  fire  ;  we  can  see  it  now.' 

Toland  and  Conyngham  turned  round. 

1  By  Jove ! '  exclaimed  Toland,  '  so  we  can.  This 
is  the  first  night  we've  seen  it  It  must  be  coming 
down  the  range.' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  183 

'What  a  spread  it  has,'  said  Conyngham,  as  he 
looked  at  the  thin  line  of  flame  that  ran  mile  upon 
mile  along  the  brow  of  the  distant  hills. 

'  Twenty  miles  at  least,'  said  Toland. 

'  Oh,  I  hope  it  won't  come  down  on  to  the  river,' 
exclaimed  Ruth,  fervently.  '  It's  dreadful  to  think  of 
its  drawing  closer  and  closer  every  night.' 

'We'll  have  to  stop  it  before  it  does  that,'  said 
Toland. 

1  Perhaps  we  shall  have  rain  soon,'  suggested 
Conyngham. 

'  I  do  hope  so,'  sighed  Ruth ;  '  but  I'm  almost 
beginning  to  despair  of  ever  seeing  rain  again.' 

'  Don't  worry,  missis,'  said  Toland,  laying  his  hand 
on  her  shoulder.  '  Come  and  sit  with  us  while  we 
smoke  and  yarn,  and  we'll  forget  about  droughts  and 
fires.' 

Meanwhile  Mab  and  Joe  played  cribbage. 

'  Fifteen  two,  fifteen  four,  fifteen  six,  fifteen  eight 
and  a  pair,  that  makes  ten.  I'm  out  and  you're 
licked  again,  Mab.' 

'  You  do  have  luck,  Joe,  but  come  on,  I'll  play  you 
again.' 

'  Not  now.  I'm  going  to  set  possum  traps  in  the 
orchard.  Come  along  with  us.' 

'  I  hate  you  to  set  traps  for  the  poor  old  possums  ; 
it's  so  cruel  to  leave  them  all  night  when  they're 
caught.' 

'  Well,  they  shouldn't  come  and  steal  our  apples — 
and  anyhow,  it  isn't  so  bad  as  having  your  eyes 
picked  out  alive  by  the  crows  like  the  bullocks  when 
they  get  down.  As  you're  so  mighty  particular  it's 
a  good  job  you  didn't  come  out  with  dad  and  me 
to-day.' 


1 84  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  I'm  glad  I  didn't,  but  you  needn't  tell  me  about 
it.  That  would  be  worse.1 

'  Five  of  'em.  They'd  have  come  out  on  their  own 
hook  if  they'd  been  left  much  longer,  although  they 
were  dead.' 

'  Don't  be  disgusting,  Joe,'  said  Mab,  putting  her 
fingers  in  her  ears. 

'  Come  on,'  he  said,  pulling  her  hands  down.  '  I'll 
make  you  a  muff  of  the  best  skins  I  get.' 

Mab  yielded  to  the  temptation,  and  as  they  went 
the  sound  of  their  voices  and  merry  laughter  helped 
Toland  and  Ruth  to  forget  for  a  while  their  gathering 
misfortunes. 


CHAPTER    IX 

THE  day  that  followed  Conyngham's  visit  to  the 
farm  deepened  the  feeling  of  anxiety  in  Ruth's  mind, 
for  that  night  showed  the  long  line  of  fire  closer. 
Now,  too,  a  flaming  area  could  be  seen  after  the  sun 
had  gone  down,  thousands  of  acres  glowing  red  on 
the  hillside. 

The  wind  was  blowing  from  the  fire,  and  dense 
masses  of  smoke  rolled  down  and  settled  in  the 
valley  below.  The  sun  was  obscured  and  looked 
like  a  red  toy  balloon  hung  aloft.  Darkness  fell 
upon  the  land  so  that  nothing  could  be  seen  beyond 
a  couple  of  hundred  yards. 

The  hills  were  blotted  out,  the  birds  never  sang, 
and  all  sounds  of  life  were  hushed.  The  smoke 
made  the  eyes  smart;  its  pungent  smell  never  left 
the  nostrils ;  it  caused  a  feeling  of  suffocation  in 
the  lungs;  in  the  cottage  it  filled  the  rooms.  So 
gradually  the  fire  crept  down  the  range ;  but  as  yet 
nothing  could  be  done,  for  it  was  coming  before  the 
wind.  Then  at  last  the  wind  blew  from  the  south, 
and  word  was  sent  round  that  a  'break'  would  be 
burnt  at  night  to  head  off  the  fire  from  the  farms  in 
the  valley.  So  long  as  it  was  confined  to  the  hills 
and  the  green  timber,  where  there  was  no  settlement, 
it  could  do  no  harm,  but  it  was  rapidly  approaching 
the  farming  area  below,  where,  amongst  the  ringed 
timber,  it  would  become  uncontrollable  as  the  tides 
of  the  ocean. 

185 


1 86  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Toland  set  out  before  sundown  for  O'Brien's 
selection  at  the  foot  of  the  ranges,  the  appointed 
place  of  meeting  and  the  first  farm  threatened. 
When  he  arrived  he  found  about  twenty  men  at 
supper  in  the  kitchen.  He  was  surprised  to  find 
neither  Scott  nor  Conyngham  present,  but  learnt 
that  they  were  with  a  party  burning  a  break  lower 
down. 

O'Brien  gave  him  a  cordial  welcome  and  explained 
the  proposed  plan  of  operations.  An  advance  guard 
of  the  fire  was  making  its  way  down  a  spur  in  front 
of  the  main  body  and  it  was  imperative  to  head  it 
off  before  the  wind  changed  again.  As  the  farm 
ran  to  the  foot  of  the  ranges,  it  was  necessary  to 
climb  for  a  few  hundred  yards  before  starting  the 
break,  so  that  in  case  of  the  fire  getting  away  it 
could  be  beaten  out  before  it  reached  the  land  on 
which  dead  trees  stood  close  and  dry  kangaroo 
grass  covered  the  fallen  timber. 

When  the  party  reached  the  spot  selected  for  a 
start,  branches  were  cut  from  saplings  and  the 
leafy  boughs  bound  together  for  the  purpose  of 
beating  out  the  flames.  Then  O'Brien  gathered  and 
lit  a  bunch  of  dry  bracken,  and  ran  with  it  trailing 
in  the  grass.  When  he  stopped  another  did  the 
same  ahead  of  him,  and  immediately  a  line  of  fire 
blazed  up  for  fifty  paces.  The  beaters  rushed  in  and 
thrashed  out  the  slow  advance  down  the  hill  against 
the  wind,  whilst  flames  rolled  away  before  it,  leaving 
the  ground,  between  the  great  fire  and  the  farm, 
burnt  and  bare. 

When  that  section  had  been  secured  the  trail  was 
run  on  again,  and  the  fire  again  beaten  out  At  first 
the  work  was  easy,  for  the  ground  was  stony,  with 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  187 

little  grass,  and  the  wind  blew  steadily  from  the 
south.  But  soon  the  trail,  which  was  run  as  nearly 
as  possible  parallel  with  the  bush  fire,  passed  into 
long  grass  and  bracken,  and  then  the  work  began  in 
deadly  earnest.  The  undergrowth  flashed  into  flames 
that  leapt  up  ten  feet  or  more,  and  each  beater  could 
only  rush  in  and  make  a  few  strokes  before  being 
compelled  to  fall  back.  Sometimes,  too,  the  wind 
changed  and  blew  the  smoke  and  flames  towards  the 
men  ;  but  nevertheless  the  fire  had  to  be  beaten  out 
before  it  escaped  beyond  control ;  and  beards  were 
singed,  shirts  burnt  into  holes,  and  lungs  filled  to 
suffocation  with  the  smoke. 

Scarcely  a  word  was  uttered  except  when  the  boys 
were  cursed  for  not  being  at  hand  with  the  water 
buckets,  or  someone  shouted  in  desperation  to  the 
fire-runners  for  a  spell.  As  the  trail  extended  in 
length  men  were  left  behind  to  patrol  the  work 
already  done,  in  case  some  smouldering  embers  should 
break  into  flame  and  send  the  fire  sweeping  down  the 
range.  Sometimes  a  cooey  was  heard  from  the 
watchers,  betokening  that  such  a  break-away  had  got 
beyond  control,  and  others  ran  back  to  assist. 

Deep  gullies  had  to  be  crossed,  where  a  foothold 
was  scarcely  obtainable  by  men  well  nigh  dropping 
from  exhaustion,  and  belts  so  dense  and  inflammable 
that  only  a  few  yards  could  be  fired  at  a  stretch.  By 
midnight  two  miles  had  been  run,  but  the  need  to 
press  on  was  now  more  urgent  than  ever.  Ahead 
the  great  fire  could  be  seen  beating  down  the  range, 
and  the  trail  had  to  be  run  quicker  still  to  intercept 
it.  So  the  fight  grew  fiercer,  and  the  men,  now  black 
as  stokers,  fought  like  devils  amidst  the  flames  of  the 
Inferno.  The  sight  was  magnificent.  Behind  the 


X88  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

forest  lay  dark  and  glowing  where  not  lit  by  the 
lurid  light  of  towering  flames.  In  front  and  stretch- 
ing for  miles  the  fires  raced  to  meet  each  other.  In 
the  long  grass  and  bracken  they  burned  savagely. 
Green  scrub  crackled  and  flashed ;  the  flames  ran  up 
huge  dead  trees  to  their  topmost  heights  and  turned 
the  trunks  into  pillars  of  fire,  while  the  branches 
crashed  down  amid  showers  of  sparks.  The  noise  of 
the  conflagration  was  terrific.  Trees  fell  with  a  loud 
boom,  and  the  swirl  of  the  flames  in  the  wind  was 
accompanied  by  a  hungry  roar.  For  another  mile 
the  trail  was  continued,  and  then,  the  bush  fire  being 
headed,  it  was  run  into  a  gully  with  water  at  the 
bottom  of  it,  and  work  was  suspended  for  the  night. 
The  men  threw  themselves  down  in  the  grass  for 
a  while,  and  the  first  light  of  dawn  was  in  the  sky 
when  they  tramped  wearily  back  to  O'Brien's. 

It  was  after  six  o'clock  when  Toland  rode  away. 
The  sun  had  risen,  the  heat  was  already  overpower- 
ing, and  his  brain  reeled  with  exhaustion,  so  that  he 
wondered  vaguely  if  the  world  was  going  to  be  dis- 
solved in  flames.  The  day  passed  wretchedly  away, 
and  that  night  no  one  went  to  bed  at  the  farm,  for  it 
was  useless  to  try  and  sleep  while  sweltering  in  a 
temperature  of  a  hundred  degrees,  below  which  the 
thermometer  never  sank.  Ruth  and  Mab  sat  in  easy- 
chairs  on  the  verandah,  while  Toland  and  Joe 
stretched  themselves  on  the  floor.  No  one  spoke, 
but  every  now  and  then  one  of  the  little  group  rose 
to  get  a  drink  from  the  canvas  water-bag  hanging  up 
on  the  verandah  post.  Want  of  sleep,  inability  to 
eat,  the  smoke  in  the  lungs,  and  the  sinking  feeling 
in  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  caused  by  physical  collapse, 
all  went  to  cause  an  insatiable  thirst.  Toland,  who 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  189 

was  completely  prostrated,  felt  he  did  not  care  what 
happened.  All  he  knew  was  that  in  a  few  hours'  time 
he  would  go  out  again  and  fight  the  fire.  The  eyes 
of  the  little  group  were  fixed  in  one  direction  across 
the  narrow  gulf  of  darkness  to  the  hell  on  the 
range.  Mile  upon  mile  the  cordon  of  fire  stretched 
away  to  the  north.  Forty  miles  it  had  now  advanced 
from  its  starting-point  on  its  march  of  desolation, 
leaving  in  its  track  but  smouldering  ruins  of  forest, 
farm  and  homestead,  with  here  and  there  little  white 
heaps  of  ash  that  betokened  where  a  living  creature 
had  melted  into  flame.  That  night  more  than  ever 
its  grandeur  was  apparent,  and  in  the  rising  north 
wind  it  appeared  as  if  enraged  that  its  progress  had 
been  barred  by  the  efforts  of  puny  men.  From  the 
base  to  the  tops  of  the  hills  the  bank  of  fire  rose  a 
thousand  feet,  the  topmost  flames  appearing  to  leap 
into  the  lurid  clouds  on  the  skyline. 

Mab  and  Joe  wondered  if  the  end  of  the  world  was 
approaching,  and  thinking  of  the  fate  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah,  added  a  suitable  prayer  to  their  customary 
ones.  Ruth,  when  she  gazed  at  the  mighty  furnace, 
thought  of  the  brave,  overwrought  men  fighting  in 
its  face  for  the  preservation  of  their  homes,  and  re- 
membered with  a  dread  that  in  a  few  hours'  time  her 
husband  would  go  to  a  worse  fight  still,  when  the 
blazing  sun  would  make  the  work  a  long-drawn 
agony.  About  two  o'clock  she  and  Mab  went  inside 
to  lie  down,  leaving  Toland  and  Joe  on  the  verandah, 
where  they  remained  till  dawn.  At  six  they  had 
breakfast  together,  and  at  nine  Toland  set  out  again 
to  take  his  place  in  the  relief  of  the  fire-fighters  of 
the  night.  By  that  time  the  north  wind  was  sweep- 
ing in  terrific  gusts  down  the  valley,  scorching  hot 


1 90  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

from  the  torrid  deserts  of  Central  Australia  and 
from  the  fires  it  had  passed  in  its  course.  It  heated 
and  shrivelled  the  lungs,  dried  the  skin  and  the 
saliva  from  the  mouth.  It  howled  through  the 
ringed  trees  wild  with  hot,  ravening  rage.  Its  voice 
was  that  of  an  avenging  fury  crying  woe  and 
desolation  to  the  land.  It  tore  along  as  the 
harbinger  of  destruction — the  proclaimer  of  ruin  at 
hand.  Great  now  was  Toland's  fear  lest  the  fire 
should  break  from  the  forest  on  the  hills,  where  it 
had  so  far  been  retained,  on  to  the  ringed  country  in 
the  valley.  He  could  not  see  the  position  of  the 
fire,  for  the  smoke,  swept  along  in  mighty  volumes 
towards  him  by  the  wind,  obliterated  everything 
further  distant  than  one  hundred  yards.  Showers  of 
burnt  and  scorched  leaves  were  falling  around  the 
cottage  like  flakes  of  black  snow,  and  a  charred  piece 
of  bark  that  he  picked  up  was  still  hot.  By  the 
constant  dropping  the  cultivation  paddocks,  which  at 
one  time  were  white  with  the  trampled  straw  of  the 
ill-fated  crops,  had  been  turned  to  a  dun  colour. 

At  first  Toland  rode  slowly,  but  gradually  anxiety 
possessed  him,  and  he  spurred  his  horse  into  a  canter. 
A  mile  from  the  cottage  he  passed  on  to  the  main 
road  and  slackened  pace,  so  that  he  might  fill  his 
pipe.  Then  he  heard  the  sound  of  a  horse  galloping 
towards  him,  and  a  second  later  a  man  rode  out  of 
the  smoke  haze.  He  was  beside  Toland  before  they 
recognised  each  other. 

4  Conyngham  !     What's  the  matter  ? ' 

'Bad  news,  old  man.  The  fire  has  broken  away. 
It's  in  the  rung  country.  It  has  swept  away  Thomson's 
and  is  travelling  towards  us  like  hell  on  wings.' 

'Have  you  been  in  it?'  asked  Toland,  as  he  saw 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  191 

Conyngham's  shirt  had  been  burnt  in  half  a  dozen 
places. 

'Very  near  it.  It's  on  the  road  not  a  mile  from 
here.  There's  no  time  to  lose.' 

'  Is  it  any  use  going  forward  ? ' 

'  None.  It's  flying  from  tree  to  tree,  taking  leaps 
of  a  hundred  paces.  Gallop  back  and  save  your 
family;  that's  the  most  you  can  do.' 

'  The  house  ought  to  be  safe,'  said  Toland,  as  he 
turned  and  spurred  his  horse.  '  I  burnt  a  break 
round  it  some  time  ago.' 

'  It's  useless,  with  the  dead  timber  round. 
Thomson's  house  was  fired  from  a  tree  a  couple  of 
hundred  yards  away.  You  can't  leave  them  there.' 

After  that  the  two  men  galloped  on  in  silence, 
turning  their  heads  every  now  and  then  to  see  if 
the  advancing  line  of  fire  were  yet  visible. 

Soon  they  reached  the  cottage,  where  they  found 
Ruth  and  the  two  children  in  dread  and  expectancy 
watching  the  wall  of  darkness  grow  nearer.  As 
Toland  and  Conyngham  galloped  out  from  it  into 
sight — safe  and  unharmed — a  great  wave  of  thankful- 
ness flooded  Ruth's  heart.  Toland  quickly  told  her 
what  he  knew.  The  smoke  each  moment  grew  denser. 
Everything  was  enveloped,  and  for  all  they  could 
tell  the  fire  might  be  only  a  hundred  yards  away. 
The  men  flung  themselves  from  the  horses.  At  a 
word  from  his  father  Joe  led  them  away  to  the  creek, 
and  Toland  turned  to  Conyngham.  '  The  cottage  is 
not  safe,'  he  said,  pointing  at  the  dead  trees  close  by. 
'  Ruth,  you  and  Mab  must  go  down  into  the  potato 
patch  and  stay  by  the  creek  till  the  fire  has  passed.' 

'What  are  you  going  to  do?  You  must  come 
too.' 


1 9  2  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

'  Not  yet.  I  must  stay  here  and  see  if  I  can  save 
the  place.' 

'  I'll  stay  with  you/  said  Conyngham. 

1  Go  at  once,  Ruth,'  said  Toland.  '  It  can't  be  far 
off— and  keep  Joe  with  you.  If  I  want  him  I'll 
call.' 

Ruth  longed  to  stay  with  her  husband,  but  she 
knew  she  could  help  best  by  obeying  him,  and 
taking  Mab's  hand  she  drew  her  away  from  the 
cottage. 

Toland  and  Conyngham  carried  some  of  the 
furniture  and  most  precious  belongings  out  of  the 
house  on  to  the  bare  ground  in  front,  and  then 
hurried  away  to  the  bark  shed,  whence  they  dragged 
out  the  cart  and  buggy  and  the  reaper,  as  they  would 
be  safer  anywhere  than  under  the  inflammable  roof. 
It  was  too  late  to  do  more,  for  the  fire  was  upon  them, 
and  they  retreated  to  guard  the  cottage.  They 
could  see  the  line  of  fire  now  as  it  swept  forward, 
crackling  and  roaring  in  the  straw  and  dry  grass  and 
blazing  up  every  here  and  there  into  red  pillars  of 
flame.  On  it  came  to  within  thirty  paces  and  then 
was  checked  by  the  fire  break.  Round  the  little 
clearing  it  swept,  till  it  had  surrounded  it  on  every 
side,  and  then  rushed  onward  and  away.  Toland  and 
Conyngham  lay  with  their  faces  on  the  ground  and 
gasped  for  breath  in  the  agonies  of  suffocation.  The 
heat  was  intolerable,  but  as  the  inflammable  matter 
on  the  ground  quickly  burnt  out,  their  condition 
improved.  But  the  real  danger  was  now  beginning. 
Already  the  great  forest  trees  were  blazing  from  butt 
to  topmost  limb,  sending  down  cascades  of  sparks. 
Up  other  trees,  hollow  in  the  centre,  the  wind  and 
fire  roared  as  through  a  funnel,  carrying  red-hot 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  193 

ashes  high  into  the  air.  They  fell  in  showers  upon 
the  clearing,  and  the  two  men  gazed  at  the  bark 
roof  in  dismay,  knowing  that  the  first  spark  that 
lighted  there  meant  the  destruction  of  the  home. 
Then  Toland  got  a  ladder  and  mounted  on  the  ridge 
of  the  roof,  and  Conyngham  drew  buckets  of  water 
from  the  well  and  handed  them  to  him  to  dash  upon 
the  bark.  They  had  hardly  begun  when  smoke  rose 
from  the  roof  of  the  shed,  and  a  minute  later  the 
whole  structure  burst  into  flames.  Nothing  could  be 
done.  Only  Conyngham  worked  harder  hauling 
water  from  the  well,  blinded  with  smoke  and  sweat 
though  he  was,  and  almost  fainting  from  exhaustion. 
Relief,  however,  came  to  him  from  an  unexpected 
quarter  as  Joe  suddenly  made  his  appearance. 

'  I'll  give  you  a  hand,  sir,'  he  said,  gasping  for  breath. 

'  What  are  you  here  for  ?  Why  did  you  leave  your 
mother  ? ' 

'  They  are  all  right — in  the  creek — and  I  was  not 
going  to  be  out  of  the  fun.  Isn't  it  awful,  though  ? ' 

'  You'd  better  carry  the  buckets  to  your  father.' 

'  Let  me  draw,  sir.  The  old  man  can't  see  me  here, 
and  he  might  send  me  back  if  he  did.' 

But  even  Joe's  valuable  assistance  was  not  to  be  of 
much  avail.  A  hollow  tree  not  forty  yards  away  had 
caught  fire  and  was  belching  forth  showers  of  sparks 
right  over  the  cottage.  Again  and  again  the  roof 
began  to  smoulder,  and  Toland,  nearly  blinded  and 
maddened  by  the  smoke,  each  time  drenched  the 
spot  with  water.  Once  he  had  just  emptied  one 
bucket,  and  the  second  had  not  been  handed  to  him, 
when  a  spark  fell  on  the  roof  a  few  feet  below. 
Immediately  the  bark  began  to  smoulder,  but  before 
it  could  burst  into  flames  he  lent  over  and  crushed  it 

N 


i94  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

with  his  hand.  A  Berserker  rage  was  upon  him.  He 
intended  to  save  the  home  he  had  built  with  his  own 
hands— which  was  endeared  to  him  by  a  thousand 
ties.  So  he  clenched  his  teeth,  and,  heedless  of  the 
agony  in  his  scorched  hands,  smoke-laden  lungs  and 
tortured  eyes,  fought  like  a  demon  in  his  element. 

Conyngham  and  Joe  were  staggering  with  ex- 
haustion when  the  end  came.  A  limb  broke  from 
the  tree  and  a  flight  of  sparks  soaring  into  the  air 
was  carried  by  the  wind  over  the  cottage.  In  a 
second  the  roof  smouldered  in  half  a  dozen  places. 
Toland  threw  what  water  he  had  here  and  there, 
but  a  spot  burst  into  flames  just  below  him.  He  had 
no  water  left,  and,  ferocious  with  despair,  he  tore  at 
the  sheet  of  bark,  thinking  to  remove  it  from  its 
fastening  and  throw  it  to  the  ground.  But  the  great 
sheet  was  immovable,  and  the  flames  licked  the  hair 
from  his  arms  as  he  tugged,  and  the  smoke  made  him 
groan.  Along  the  roof  the  fire  sped  and  in  a  second 
he  looked  as  he  knelt  on  the  ridge  like  a  martyr  at 
the  stake. 

Conyngham  shouted  to  him  to  come  down  before 
too  late,  while  Joe  burst  into  tears.  But  he  either 
did  not  hear  them  in  the  roar  of  the  wind  and  the 
flames,  or  heeded  not,  for  he  only  groped  here  and 
there  with  his  hands  but  did  not  move. 

Conyngham  rushed  to  the  ladder  and  carried  it  to 
the  side  of  the  roof  that  was  not  yet  in  flames,  and, 
running  up,  seized  Toland  and  dragged  him  down. 
The  latter  did  not  utter  a  word  and  seemed  too 
dazed  to  help  himself,  whilst  his  burnt  hands  were 
incapable  of  holding  the  rungs  of  the  ladder. 

Conyngham  steadied  Toland  as  he  slid  down  the 
roof,  and  as  the  eaves  were  only  seven  feet  from  the 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  195 

ground  he  was  able  to  let  him  down  without  injury 
and  lead  him  a  few  paces  away.  And  none  too  soon, 
for  the  roof  was  now  blazing  from  end  to  end  and 
the  whole  cottage  enveloped  in  flames. 

'  Come  farther  away,'  shouted  Conyngham. 

Toland  put  out  his  hands  in  front  of  him  and 
staggered  towards  the  flames. 

'  What  are  you  doing  ?  Do  you  want  to  be  burnt 
alive  ?  '  cried  Conyngham,  .pulling  him  back. 

'  Give  me  your  hand,'  said  Toland,  hoarsely. 
'  Can't  you  see  I'm  blind  ? ' 

Conyngham  took  him  by  the  arm  and  dragged 
him  away,  followed  by  Joe. 

'  We'll  go  to  your  wife,'  he  said. 

'  Is  it  all  over  ? '  asked  Toland. 

'  Yes.' 

Then  he  turned  and  let  Conyngham  lead  him 
across  the  smouldering  track  of  the  fire  to  the 
potato  patch  at  the  creek  side,  where  Ruth  and 
Mab  were  waiting  in  an  agony  of  sorrow. 

When  Ruth  saw  her  husband's  fire-blasted  face 
she  found  it  hard  to  control  a  frenzy  of  grief,  and 
hung  upon  him,  sobbing. 

'  It's  nothing,'  he  said.  '  It  was  a  good  fight.  I'll 
be  able  to  see  soon.' 

Conyngham,  too,  assured  her  that  men's  eyes  re- 
covered from  the  smoke  blindness,  and,  there  being 
nothing  further  to  be  done,  they  sat  down  together 
in  silence  whilst  the  wind  howled  by  and  swept  the 
fire  on  to  complete  the  work  of  desolation. 

After  weary  hours  had  passed,  Conyngham 
suggested  that  Mab  and  Ruth  should  mount  the 
two  horses  and  that  they  should  all  make  their  way 
through  the  burnt  area  to  the  Scotts,  who,  he  thought, 


196  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

had  escaped,   being  well  to  the  north   of  the  point 

at  which  the  fire  had  broken  away.     Ruth  and  Mab 

were  put   on   the  horses.     Conyngham  led   Toland, 

and  Joe  piloted  the  way  amongst  the  burning  timber. 

When   they  passed  the  cottage   Ruth  felt  almost 

glad   that   her  husband   could   not  see,   for    a    few 

smouldering  logs  were  all  that  remained  of  the  home 

consecrated  by  happy  memories.     The  smoke  seemed 

to  rise  as  from  a  funeral  pyre  on  which  a  loved  one 

had  perished,  and  she  wept  as  she  passed.     When 

they  got  to  the  road  they  found  it  almost  impassable 

for  the  fallen   timber,   and  their  progress  was  slow 

amongst  the  ashes,  smoke  and  flames. 

Late   in   the  afternoon   the  sorrowful   pilgrimage 
came  to  an  end  and  they  found  shelter  at  the  Scotts. 


CHAPTER    X 

FOR  days  after  the  fire  Toland's  thoughts  scarcely 
dwelt  a  moment  on  the  wreck  of  his  material 
prospects,  for  he  was  living  in  a  fever  of  alternate 
hope  and  despair  of  his  wife's  recovery  from  an  illness 
brought  on  by  the  shock  and  strain  of  the  bush  fires, 
winding  up  with  the  terrible  hours  of  the  refuge  in  the 
creek.  The  chill  which  she  made  light  of  at  first  could 
no  longer  be  resisted  when  it  developed  into  inflamma- 
tion of  the  lungs,  and  the  doctor  from  Tongalong  in- 
formed Toland  he  must  be  prepared  for  the  worst,  as 
his  wife  was  thoroughly  run  down  and  had  no  reserves 
of  strength  to  draw  upon.  There  seemed  indeed  no 
hope,  and  for  hours  at  a  time  Toland  would  refuse  to 
leave  the  room,  scarcely  aware  of  the  presence  of 
Mabel  or  Bess,  who  were  unremitting  in  their  care 
as  nurses,  nor  of  Mrs  Harlin  and  the  doctor  when 
they  visited  the  sick  chamber.  He  had  eyes  only  for 
the  pale  face,  and  his  ear  heard  nothing  but  the  quick, 
loud  breathing  that  evidenced  the  struggle  of  the 
body  to  keep  life  within  it. 

Sitting  by  the  bedside  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  those 
that  for  long  periods  in  the  height  of  the  fever  gave  no 
gleam  of  recognition,  Toland  was  scarcely  a  reason- 
ing being,  and  for  the  first  time  for  years  he  prayed, 
not  humbly,  nor  with  great  faith  in  the  efficacy  of 
prayer,  but  almost  fiercely,  contemptuously  of  himself 
and  his  weakness,  as  a  measure  of  despair. 

From  the  night  of  the  fire  the  Toland  family  had 
197 


198  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

been  quartered  on  the  Scotts ;  and  much  as  Toland 
disliked  the  arrangement,  he  knew  that  any  other 
would  have  greatly  offended  his  sister,  who  was  the 
soul  of  sympathy  and  kindness,  while,  after  Ruth's 
prostration  declared  itself  as  serious  illness,  no  con- 
siderations of  pride  or  independence  would  have  in- 
duced him  to  separate  himself  and  the  children  from 
her. 

Mrs  Harlin  drove  down  every  day  from  the  station 
to  the  Scotts,  usually  bringing  medical  luxuries  for  the 
invalid,  and  Toland  saw  her  come  and  go  with  a  sul- 
len feeling  of  jealousy  that  she  of  all  strangers  should 
intrude  upon  his  grief.  Then  one  day,  when  the  crisis 
was  at  hand  and  hope  almost  gone,  the  doctor  had 
ordered  him  to  leave  the  room  for  a  few  minutes,  and, 
walking  with  bowed  head  into  the  garden,  he  nearly 
ran  against  Mrs  Harlin. 

Hearing  a  sob,  he  looked  up  wonderingly,  and  their 
eyes  met.  She  dabbed  a  pocket-handkerchief  on  hers 
and  greeted  him  with  a  sad  smile. 

'  Do  you  cherish  your  friends  as  you  do  your 
injuries  ?  '  she  asked. 

Toland  wrinkled  his  brows  and  shook  his  head  with 
a  dazed  look.  He  scarcely  took  in  her  words  and  was 
in  no  mood  to  deal  with  psychological  problems. 

'  Walk  with  me  to  my  buggy,'  she  went  on,  and  he 
found  himself  mechanically  obeying  the  softly-toned 
command. 

As  he  opened  the  garden  gate  she  stopped  and 
rested  her  fingers  for  a  moment  on  his  arm. 

'  I  won't  force  my  sympathy  on  you,'  she  said, '  but 
you  must  not  grudge  me  my  own  grief.  Remember 
that  before  she  was  your  wife  she  was  my  friend,  and 
that  I  loved  her  dearly.' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  199 

Toland  raised  his  head  with  a  frightened  look  in  his 
eyes.  Her  unconscious  use  of  the  past  tense  sounded 
like  a  death  sentence.  He  clenched  his  nails  into  his 
palms,  suppressing  an  impulse  to  curse  or  cry. 

'Oh,  for  pity's  sake  don't!'  he  exclaimed  plead- 
ingly. '  I  know  she  loves  you,  and  I — I  grudge  you 
nothing.' 

Mrs  Harlin  could  not  forbear  giving  expression  to 
her  pity  for  herself  and  him.  She  clasped  his  strong 
fingers  in  her  gloved  hand. 

'  Mr  Toland,'  she  cried,  '  I  am  so  sorry  for  you. 
And  you  must  pity  me  and  give  me  your  sympathy 
— even  if  you  will  not  have  mine.' 

Toland's  mood  softened  at  the  touch  of  her  hand ; 
and  this  appeal  from  a  sorrow-stricken  woman  to  a 
man  in  like  sorrow  rose  above  all  considerations  of 
class  and  dimmed  the  memory  of  real  or  fancied 
wrongs. 

'  I  am  thankful  for  it,'  he  said  with  an  effort ;  '  and 
I  suppose  it  makes  it  easier  to  bear  that  someone 
else  feels  it  something  the  same.'  Then,  gripping 
her  fingers  fiercely  as  she  was  withdrawing  them, 
he  turned  a  searching  gaze  on  her  face. 

'  Tell  me,  Mrs  Harlin,  do  you  think  there  is  any 
hope  ? ' 

'  There  is  always  hope,'  she  faltered.  '  Have  you 
prayed  for  her?' 

'  I  think  so,'  replied  Toland  with  a  bitter  laugh. 
'  I've  said,  "  God — if  there  is  a  God — let  this  woman 
get  well.  If  You  do  I'll  believe  in  You.  I'll  thank 
You,  I'll  try  to  love  the  Harlins  and  all  my  enemies 
—if  You  don't  let  her  die.  If  You  do  I'll  try  to 
believe  in  You  that  I  may  hate  You  and  curse  You." 
I've  said  that — and  things  like  that — cried  them  with 


2oo  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

my  whole  soul  for  hours  and  days  together.  Is  that 
praying?' 

'  Hush  ! '  said  Mrs  Harlin,  gently.  Toland  had 
raised  his  deep  voice  and  was  quite  unconscious  of 
the  wonder  the  strange  scene  and  conversation  were 
exciting  in  the  mind  of  the  man  holding  Mrs  Harlin's 
ponies  only  a  few  yards  away.  'If  prayers  count  that 
come  from  the  heart,'  she  went  on  with  a  smile, '  yours 
will  be  answered.  And — please  Heaven — so  will  mine.' 

'You  are  a  good  woman.  I — I  believe  I  trust  you 
more  than  the  doctor,'  muttered  Toland,  huskily. 

He  turned  his  back  abruptly  and,  without  another 
word,  Mrs  Harlin  slipped  away  to  her  buggy,  calling 
out,  as  she  took  the  reins  in  her  hand,  'Good-bye, 
and  keep  up  your  spirits,  I  shall  be  back  again  for 
news  in  an  hour.' 

Toland  leaned  on  the  gate  and  watched  till  the 
vehicle  was  out  of  sight.  She  was  as  unhappy  as  he, 
and  her  pride  was  as  great  as  his  own — and  of  a  finer 
kind,  he  supposed,  since  she  employed  it  to  hide  the 
skeleton  in  her  cupboard,  and  wore  a  smiling  mask 
over  the  great  misery  in  her  life.  Had  it  not  been 
for  an  accident  he  would  never  have  discovered  the 
secret  of  Harlin's  weakness,  with  which  only  Ruth 
had  been  entrusted.  If  Ruth  recovered  there  were 
happier  days  in  store.  And  she  must  recover,  for 
there  were  wrongs  that  he  must  set  right.  Still  he 
leaned  upon  the  fence,  not  daring  to  go  back  to  the 
house  for  a  later  bulletin,  lest  it  should  dash  the 
hopes  that  unaccountably  were  growing,  when  he 
heard  a  step  behind  him  and  a  strong  hand  rested 
on  his  shoulder. 

'  Toland,  old  man  !  The  crisis  is  past  and  she  will 
recover.' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  201 

The  voice  was  Conyngham's.  He  was  boarding  at 
Mallock's  shanty  now  and  had  ridden  across  through 
the  paddocks  to  ask  for  news.  Approaching  the  back 
of  the  house,  unseen  by  Toland,  he  had  just  met  the 
doctor  as  he  left  the  sick  chamber,  and  had  hurried 
away  in  search  of  his  friend. 

No  words  were  adequate,  but  the  men  could  read 
each  what  the  other  would  express  in  the  silent  hand 
grip,  when  suddenly  Toland  looked  from  Conyngham's 
trembling  arm  to  his  face  and  felt  a  momentary, 
almost  jealous,  surprise  at  the  depth  of  the  emotion 
he  saw  written  there. 

Then  consciousness  of  everything  else  was  swal- 
lowed up  in  the  over-surging  joy  of  Ruth's  return  to 
him. 

The  doctor  stood  by  the  verandah  step  drawing 
on  his  gloves  and  talking  to  Bess,  and  he  smiled  as 
Toland,  forgetful  for  the  moment  even  of  Conyng- 
ham's existence,  hurried  towards  him,  demanding 
almost  fiercely  full  confirmation  of  the  good  news. 

'  My  dear  Mr  Toland,  I  am  not  omniscient  and  I 
can  promise  nothing,'  he  said  deprecatingly.  '  But  the 
fever  has  left  her,  and  with  the  care  of  such  nurses  as 
your  sister  and  daughter  here — provided  there  is  no 
relapse — I  see  no  reason  why  Mrs  Toland  should  not 
be  up  and  about  again  in  a  fortnight.' 

'  May  I  see  her  ? '  asked  Toland. 

'  You  had  better  not  to-day.  Miss  Mabel  is  with 
her,  and  the  fewer  people  about  the  sick  room  the 
better.  Ah,  there  is  my  buggy  at  the  back.  My 
congratulations  to  you,  and  good-bye ! ' 

The  doctor  stepped  briskly  to  the  gate,  settled 
himself  on  the  driving  seat  and  rattled  off,  leaving 
Bess  and  Toland  together.  Bess  had  had  a  satis- 


202  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

factory  cry  before  her  brother's  appearance,  and  con- 
tented herself  now  with  kissing  him  affectionately. 

1  He  is  a  real  clever  man,'  she  said,  nodding  towards 
the  departing  buggy.  '  You've  got  to  thank  him — 
and  God  that  made  him  an  instrument — that  we've 
got  Ruth  with  us  to-day.' 

'  And  where  do  you  come  in  ? '  he  asked,  resting 
his  hand  lovingly  on  her  shoulder. 

'  Oh,  me  ? '  she  laughed  happily.  '  What  on  earth 
have  I  done  ?  Here's  Mr  Conyngham  wants  to  wish 
you  joy  too.  Come  on,  Mr  Conyngham  !  You'd  best 
interrupt  John  and  me  before  we  get  downright  silly.' 

Conyngham  was  approaching,  rather  hesitatingly, 
down  the  path  beside  the  house  from  the  front  garden, 
where  Toland  had  left  him. 

'I'm  afraid  you'll  have  to  do  without  my  restraining 
influence,'  he  said,  smiling — 'if  there  is  any  reason 
not  to  be  silly — for  I  have  come  to  say  good-bye.' 

'  I  am  sorry  we  are  keeping  you  out  of  your  quarters 
and  driving  you  back  to  that  beastly  shanty,'  said 
Toland.  '  However,  all  being  well,  Joe  and  I  will  be 
back  at  work  on  the  farm  again  in  a  day  or  two.' 

'  I  hope  so,'  answered  Conyngham,  deliberately  ; 
'  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  you  are  not  keeping  me  out 
of  my  quarters,  for  I  am  not  likely  to  be  back  here 
for  some  time.  I  have  to  go  to  Melbourne  on  busi- 
ness, and  I  expect  the  next  time  I  shall  see  you  will 
be  at  the  tea-table,  presided  over  by  your  wife,  on  the 
new  Grimsby  Farm — risen  Phcenix-like  from  the 
ashes  of  the  old.' 

'  That  is  sudden,  isn't  it  ? ' 

'  Not  very/  said  Conyngham,  holding  out  his  hand. 
'You  will  give  my  warmest  congratulations  to  Mrs 
Toland  on  her  recovery?' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  203 

'  Yes/  said  Toland,  wondering. 

'And  to  you  they  are  beyond  expression  —  you 
know  that.  Good-bye,  Mrs  Scott.  I  hope  you 
haven't  found  my  absence  so  great  a  relief  that  you 
will  be  unable  to  give  it  up  in  a  month  or  two.' 

Toland  watched  him  ride  away,  with  his  mind  re- 
verting, in  spite  of  himself,  to  the  thoughts  of  half  an 
hour  ago. 

'Well,  well,'  sighed  Bess,  'he's  a  queer  chap. 
You  never  know  rightly  how  to  take  him.' 

'  I  don't  believe  you  do,  Bess,'  answered  Toland, 
with  a  half  smile ;  '  but  take  him  any  way  you  like, 
he's  a  fine  fellow  and  a  good  friend.  Can  I  see 
Mabel  ? ' 

'  I  think  you'd  best  not.  It  might  disturb  Ruth  if 
she  left  the  room.' 

'  Then  I'm  going  to  smoke  and  think.  I  don't 
believe  I've  had  a  pipe  for  days.' 

He  took  himself  off,  and  for  the  rest  of  the  day 
and  the  night  obediently  kept  out  of  Ruth's  room, 
avoiding  Mrs  Harlin  when  she  called  again,  also  Scott 
and  the  family,  feeling  equal  to  no  other  companion- 
ship than  his  pipe  and  his  thoughts. 

On  the  following  day  he  saw  Ruth  for  a  minute  or 
two  only,  and  he  scarcely  dared  to  speak,  lest  the 
fierceness  of  his  joy  in  her  promised  recovery  should 
carry  him  away  in  some  outburst  of  feeling  that 
would  excite  her  and  check  the  feeble  current  of 
returning  strength. 

Then  he  went  back  to  the  farm,  camping  with  Joe 
amid  the  ruins  of  his  home,  when  he  put  all  his  pent- 
up  energy  into  clearing  the  ground  of  fallen  trees 
with  which  the  fire  had  strewed  the  blackened 
paddocks.  No  other  work  was  possible  since,  until 


2o4  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

heavy  rains  came,  post  holes  could  not  be  sunk  for 
new  fences,  nor  the  baked  ground  be  turned  over  by 
the  plough. 

He  had  not  the  heart  to  put  his  own  labour  into 
the  building  of  a  second  home.  In  any  case  ringing 
and  clearing  had  put  an  end  to  the  old  days  when 
slabs  could  be  split  and  bark  stripped  a  few  chains 
from  the  door ;  so,  with  the  bitter-sweet  memories  of 
those  years  ago  when  he  and  Mick  felled  corner  posts 
in  the  forest,  he  watched  the  weatherboard  cottage, 
for  which  he  had  contracted,  go  up  on  the  desolate 
site  of  the  old,  rough  dwelling  he  had  loved  so  well. 

Money  had  to  be  found  to  pay  doctors'  bills  and 
make  a  new  start  in  life.  From  a  relief  fund  liberally 
subscribed  to  by  neighbours  and  people  throughout 
the  district,  whom  the  fires  had  spared,  Toland  re- 
fused to  accept  a  penny,  angrily  tearing  the  forms  for 
particulars  of  loss  sustained  and  aid  sought  sent  to 
him  as  a  matter  of  course  by  the  secretary  of  the 
Relief  Committee.  He  had  not  sunk  so  low  as  to 
accept  charity  !  In  any  case  it  would  have  been  but 
a  drop  in  the  bucket ;  and  the  alternative  was  a 
further  mortgage  on  which — at  eight  per  cent. — 
Macnamara,  of  Tongalong,  let  him  have  eight 
hundred  pounds. 

Every  evening,  often  taking  Joe  with  him,  he  rode 
down  the  river  to  see  his  wife,  and  Scott  showed 
practical  kindliness  by  lending  him  mounts,  as  the 
daily  pilgrimage  was  too  great  a  strain  on  horseflesh 
for  Toland's  resources. 

Scott's  sympathetic  conduct  all  through  Ruth's 
illness  induced  in  Toland  a  more  cordial  feeling 
towards  him  than  he  had  entertained  for  years, 
and  he  began  to  wonder  if  he  had  attached  too 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  205 

much  importance  to  idiosyncrasies  of  character,  and 
overlooked  the  good  heart  underlying  them,  which 
was  wrung  so  much  by  his  relatives'  misfortunes  that, 
in  a  mood  of  expansion,  Scott  would  have  made  any 
sacrifice  to  help  them,  provided  it  did  not  involve  the 
undisguised  expenditure  of  cash. 

Toland's  mind,  in  fact,  after  this  great  crisis  in  his 
affairs,  underwent  a  kind  of  moral  spring  cleaning, 
during  which  he  cleared  his  brain  of  much  lumber  in 
the  way  of  bitter  humours,  and  found  occasion  to  re- 
vise his  estimate  of  other  people  besides  Scott. 

For  his  wife  there  was  no  higher  place  than  she  had 
always  held  in  his  esteem,  but  she  returned  to  him 
from  the  brink  of  the  grave  dearer  if  possible  than 
ever.  Bess,  too,  had  regained  almost  her  old  childish 
place  in  his  affection  and  regard ;  but,  apart  from  its 
crushing  effect  upon  his  material  fortunes,  disguised 
at  first  by  the  stimulant  of  the  mortgage  money,  the 
most  important  result  of  the  fire  to  Toland  was  the 
changed  relations  it  indirectly  brought  about  with 
Mrs  Harlin.  Not  till  Ruth  was  well  on  the  way  to- 
wards convalescence  did  he  meet  her  again,  when, 
riding  down  to  Scott's  from  Grimsby  Farm,  he  found 
her  on  the  point  of  leaving  after  a  visit  to  his  wife. 

Both  felt  the  constraint  resulting  from  their  un- 
wonted display  of  feeling  when  they  had  been  face  to 
face  with  life  as  fellow-partners  in  sorrow,  and  there 
was  an  aloofness,  greater  even  than  usual,  between 
them ;  but  Mrs  Harlin  had  encountered  him  with  a 
purpose  which  she  would  not  leave  unattempted. 
She  wanted  Mabel  in  a  week's  time  to  go  and  stay 
with  her  till  the  family  should  be  settled  in  their  new 
home. 

It  was  the  old,  old  bone  of  contention,  dragged 


206  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

anew  from  the  hole  where  it  lay  buried,  and  it  was 
long  before  Mrs  Harlin  could  conquer  Toland's  un- 
reasoning obstinacy;  but  when  she  begged  it  as  a 
favour,  saying,  in  a  voice  that  trembled,  she  was 
lonely,  his  heart  smote  him  for  dragging  such  a  con- 
fession, of  which  he  understood  the  truth,  from  the 
lips  of  this  proud  woman. 

'  Thank  you,'  she  said.  '  I  cannot  say  that  you 
have  given  your  consent  graciously,  but  I  thank  you 
for  giving  it  at  all.' 

Toland  remained  silent  with  his  eyes  on  the  ground. 
No  one  could  guess  what  a  wrench  to  his  cherished 
independence  the  consent  had  been. 

She  hesitated  for  a  moment.  Then,  with  a  little 
angry  colour  in  her  cheeks  and  a  haughty  ring  in  her 
tone, — 

'  I  suppose  I  must  make  allowances  for  your  pride, 
Mr  Toland.  I  asked  a  favour  and  you  have  been 
generous  enough,  however  grudgingly,  to  grant  it ; 
but  I  should  admire  you  more  if  I  thought  you  had 
the  generosity  to  accept  one.' 

Toland  reddened.  The  last  blow  was  feminine. 
It  was  delivered  from  a  social  distance ;  but  it  was 
aimed  true,  and  he  did  not  reply. 

And  thus  it  was  settled  that  Mabel  should  go  to 
Kumbarra. 


BOOK    III 


CHAPTER    I 

THE  rattle  of  the  binder,  now  loud,  now  faint,  from 
the  wheat  paddock's  furthest  limit,  had  sounded 
through  the  cottage  since  the  first  streaks  of  dawn, 
ceasing  only  at  long  intervals  when  the  hard-worked 
machine  creaked  a  request  for  more  oil  or  the  twine 
drum  was  replenished  by  another  ball. 

There  were  two  hundred  acres  to  cut,  threatening 
to  shed  the  grain  under  the  blazing  heat  of  December's 
last  few  days,  and  Toland  had  hired  a  couple  of 
draught  horses  to  keep  two  teams  going  without  a 
rest  from  daylight  until  dark. 

At  twelve  o'clock  Joe's  eight  hours'  day  on  the 
driving  seat  was  over,  leaving  him  free  to  rest  for  an 
hour  or  two  before  taking  his  turn  at  stocking  in  the 
absence  of  other  tasks. 

Mabel  moved  about  the  verandah  room  getting 
ready  his  dinner.  She  brushed  from  the  cloth  the 
crumbs  left  from  her  father's  just  finished  meal,  and 
picked  a  faded  rose  out  of  the  bowl  on  the  table. 

'  Now,  that  looks  neat  and  appetising,'  she  said  to 
herself,  critically  surveying  her  work.  '  Poor  old  Joe  ! 
He  must  be  tired  and  sleepy.' 

Father  and  brother  laughed  at  Mabel,  but  secretly 
were  not  sorry  to  give  way  to  what  they  called  her 

207 


2o8  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

fads.  She  had  put  her  foot  down  on  kitchen  meals, 
urging  with  plausibility  that  since  the  cool  bark  roof 
had  gone,  and  the  whole  house  was  like  an  oven 
beneath  the  iron,  there  was  no  sense  nor  comfort 
in  choosing  the  hottest  spot  to  eat  in,  merely  because 
their  neighbours  were  foolish  enough  to  do  so.  In 
the  two  years  since  the  bush  fire  Mabel's  voice  had 
become  a  power  in  the  house,  and  her  parents  more 
and  more  deferred,  in  the  world  of  little  things,  to 
the  whims  and  wishes  of  the  beautiful,  headstrong  girl 
of  whom  they  felt  so  proud. 

In  a  cheap  print,  almost  white  from  frequent  wash- 
ing, brightened  in  lieu  of  vanished  pattern  by  a 
crimson  belt,  for  without  colour  of  some  kind  Mabel 
could  not  exist,  with  glossy  hair  brushed  back  from 
a  broad  low  forehead,  a  bright  face  and  a  figure  slim 
and  erect,  Mabel  Toland  presented  a  grateful  vision 
of  coolness  very  different  from  that  which  greeted 
most  harvest  labourers  in  the  valley  when  they  went 
in  to  their  meals  that  day. 

And  Mabel  was  not  altogether  unconscious  of  the 
fact  Without  much  vanity  she  was  proud  of  her 
good  looks  and  did  what  she  could  to  enhance  them. 
They  were  one  of  the  refinements  jealously  treasured 
for  their  little  household,  which,  she  told  herself  with 
girlish  vehemence,  should  never  sink  under  any 
poverty  to  the  level  of  others,  where  frowsy  fringes 
and  ill-cooked  food,  on  dirty  tables,  gave  the  men 
every  excuse  to  be  ill-mannered  savages.  Joe  chafed 
sometimes  under  Mabel's  tyranny.  He  considered  it 
unjust  that  ingrained  dirt  should  be  regarded  as  an 
aggravation  rather  than  as  an  excuse  for  the  crime 
of  soiled  hands. 

'  Anyone  would  think  I  was  going  to  be  a  bloomin' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  209 

dook,  instead  of  a  policeman,  from  the  way  you  fuss 
me,'  he  would  grumble ;  but  he  always  gave  in  to 
Mabel's  commands  if  not  to  her  argument  that,  for 
all  he  knew,  he  might  have  to  arrest  dukes  and  that 
kind  of  people  some  day,  and  the  least  they  could 
expect  would  be  to  have  the  handcuffs  put  on  them 
by  policemen  with  clean  hands. 

The  tramp  of  wearied  horses  led  her  on  to  the 
verandah.  The  team,  relieved  from  work,  with  bowed 
heads  and  sweat-blackened  collar  marks,  were  making 
their  way  in  single  file  to  the  little  creek  by  the 
stables,  where  sheaves  of  wheaten  hay  flung  out  on 
the  banks  awaited  them.  Joe  slouched  along  behind, 
not  looking  cheerful  or  alert.  His  tanned  face  was 
furrowed  with  little  perspiration  rills  in  the  layer  of 
dust  and  dabbed  here  and  there  with  cakes  of  oil- 
mud,  acquired  when  his  head  was  beneath  the 
machine  among  the  cogs  and  bearings  requiring 
lubrication.  The  effect  was  grotesque  when  he 
smiled  at  his  sister,  who  nipped  vine  shoots  on  the 
trellised  wires  and  waited  for  him. 

'  Got  anything  decent  to  eat,  Mab  ? '  he  asked,  tramp- 
ing on  to  the  verandah  and  pretending  to  embrace 
her. 

'  Yes,'  she  said,  recoiling  and  laughing.  '  Cold  beef 
—junket — and  raspberries — much  too  decent  for  you 
as  you  are  now.  Go  and  get  clean.' 

'  No,'  he  said  calmly,  flinging  himself  down  with 
his  back  against  a  verandah  post.  '  That's  worth 
waiting  for,  and  I'm  too  beastly  hot  to  enjoy 
it.' 

'  Well,  have  a  drink.' 

'  Of  what  ? '  he  asked,  looking  up  with  a  half-sus- 
picious expression  of  hope,  armed  against  disappoint- 

O 


2io  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

ment.  Mabel  sometimes  prepared  pleasant  surprises, 
but  she  also  sometimes  played  tricks  and  was  quite 
capable  of  saying  '  water.' 

'  This.'  She  brought  out  a  jug  and  a  cup  from  the 
table. 

'  You're  a  trump,  sis,'  he  sighed,  after  swallowing 
half  a  pint  of  lemon  water  at  a  gulp,  and  wisely 
checking  an  impulse  to  rub  the  back  of  a  variously- 
blackened  hand  across  his  mouth.  '  I  believe  you 
know  what  will  do  a  feller  good  better  than  any 
farmer's  daughter  on  the  river — though  you  do  look 
so  horrid  clean.' 

'  So  I  am  clean,'  she  said  with  dignity.  '  Do  fix 
yourself  up  for  dinner,  like  a  good  boy,  because  I've 
waited  for  you.  Where's  mother?' 

Joe  rose,  stretching  himself,  and  laughed.  '  Watch- 
ing dad.  He's  cutting  out  a  little  bit  all  turns — and 
there  she  sits  under  an  umbrella  in  the  blazing  sun, 
against  a  stock,  an'  admires  him  an'  the  machine.  He 
tells  her  to  go  in  and  shams  he  don't  want  her  there, 
an'  I  swear  he'd  be  awfully  disappointed  if  she  took 
him  at  his  word.  It's  rum  how  fond  those  old  people 
are  of  each  other.' 

'  They're  not  so  very  old,'  returned  Mabel.  '  Mother 
at  least  can  hardly  be  forty.' 

'  Oh,  well !  They're  older  than  me  anyhow,'  yawned 
Joe.  '  I'll  be  back  in  a  jiffy.' 

Getting  a  towel  from  his  room  he  went  to  the  creek 
and  a  few  minutes  later  was  in  the  parlour  again  with 
the  shine  and  smell  of  soap  on  his  face  to  testify  his 
thoroughness.  Neither  very  tall  nor  very  broad,  Joe 
had  not  the  physique  of  his  father  and  would  not 
attain  it,  though  he  had  some  time  to  grow  yet,  but 
he  was  a  strong,  wiry  lad  with  a  well-knit  figure  when 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  211 

he  straightened  it,  as  he  sometimes  did ;  and  in 
his  face,  which  suggested  the  same  plan  as  Mabel's, 
more  carelessly  executed,  there  was  keenness  and 
humour  in  a  measure  not  possessed  by  either  of  his 
parents. 

Mabel  felt  satisfied  with  his  upper  end  at  least, 
where  only  brushed  hair  and  clean  white  coat  were  in 
evidence,  while  heavy  grey  boots  and  blue  dungaree 
trousers  were  out  of  sight  beneath  the  table.  Her 
mind  dwelt  that  day  more  than  usual  on  the  social 
position  of  her  family,  for  only  on  the  previous  morn- 
ing Mrs  Harlin  had  told  her  that  Rupert  was  expected 
home  in  a  week  or  less.  He  had  been  absent  just 
three  years  now,  and  she  had  neither  seen  him  nor 
heard  from  him  since  the  evening  he  had  kissed  her 
by  the  old  harness-room  door,  and  in  the  meantime 
he  was  grown  into  a  man  with  the  capacity  for  giving 
weight  to  petty  things  that  nobler-minded  childhood 
treats  with  fine  disdain.  She  understood  better  now 
their  difference  in  position  and  wealth,  and  he  perhaps 
laughed  if  he  remembered  his  boyish  protest  of  life- 
long devotion  ;  but  she  scarcely  believed  so.  There 
was  a  message  for  her  in  his  last  letter  to  Mrs  Harlin 
which  meant  very  little,  perhaps — nothing  without 
the  key  forged  on  their  moonlight  ride  and  grown 
rusty  with  disuse — but  she  blushed  suddenly  when 
Mrs  Harlin  read  it  to  her,  and  that  lady  intuitively 
grasped  at  least  a  part  of  Mabel's  carefully-guarded 
secret,  kept  it  to  herself  and  pondered. 

Joe  was  hungry,  Mabel  preoccupied,  so  there  was 
little  conversation  during  their  meal  to  interrupt  the 
monotonous  buzz  of  the  big  flies  and  the  distant  rattle 
of  the  binder,  but  when  it  was  finished  Joe  pushed  his 
chair  from  the  table,  and  with  a  wink  and  a  '  Don't 


212  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

split,  Mab,'  produced  a  cherry-wood  pipe  from  his 
pocket. 

'  Joe  !     You  don't  mean  to  say  you  smoke  ! ' 

'  I  don't  mean  to  say  it  just  yet  awhile — but  I  do 
it — when  I  get  the  chance,'  he  drawled,  shaving  off 
the  corners  of  a  dark  plug  of  'Two  Seas'  with  a 
novice's  deliberation. 

'  Father  would  be  awfully  angry.' 

'  That's  just  why  I  don't  let  him  know.' 

'  But  it's  not  honest' 

'  That's  so  like  a  girl !  I'll  bet  there's  lots  of  things 
you  keep  dark — or  would,  only  girls  are  generally 
fools  enough  to  tell  other  girls  an'  get  peached  on 
for  their  pains.' 

Joe's  random  thrust,  quite  unjustified  so  far  as  he 
knew,  for  Mabel  was  singularly  frank,  nevertheless 
got  home  since,  compared  with  her  great  secret,  Joe's 
smoking  was  as  nothing. 

'But  you've  just  told  me,'  she  objected  incon- 
clusively. 

'  Girls  split  on  girls — not  men.  Anyway,  sisters 
don't  count' 

'  Not  boys'  sisters  ? '  she  asked,  with  a  mischievous 
smile. 

'  Don't  nag,'  said  Joe,  loftily,  '  but  come  down  to 
the  creek  and  have  a  yarn  under  the  wattle  tree 
before  I  go  back  to  that  beastly  stocking.' 

The  wattles  had  grown  rapidly  after  the  fire,  cloth- 
ing the  devastated  creek  banks  again  in  greenery,  but 
the  beloved  elms  were  gone,  and  the  vines  springing 
vigorously  from  the  roots  remained  almost  solitary 
survivors  of  the  Tolands'  old  plantation. 

When  she  had  made  the  eatables  safe  from  cats 
and  flies,  Mabel  took  some  sewing  with  her  and 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  213 

joined  Joe  beneath  the  trees,  announcing  her  arrival 
by  dropping  a  pebble  into  the  pipe  bowl  sticking  out 
from  beneath  the  slouch  hat  pulled  over  his  face. 

'  Oh,  stow  it,  Mab ! '  he  grumbled,  sitting  up. 
'Can't  you  let  a  feller  alone?' 

'  Well,  can't  you  give  a  "  feller  "  room  to  sit — you're 
sprawling  all  over  the  only  bit  of  shade  that's  any  use.' 

Joe  collected  some  of  his  limbs  and  Mabel  sat  down. 

'  I've  been  thinking,  Mab,'  he  said  presently.  '  I'm 
going  to  sling  the  farm  as  soon  as  I'm  old  enough  to 
be  a  trooper.' 

'  Then  that  old  joke  is  going  to  be  a  reality.  They 
haven't  laughed  you  out  of  it  ? ' 

'  No,  I  don't  get  laughed  out  of  things,'  said  Joe, 
with  something  of  his  father's  expression.  '  It's  a 
kind  of  life  I  should  like — I'm  the  right  weight  and 
cut  for  it — and  I  believe  a  fellow  could  get  on.' 

Mab  put  down  her  work  and  stared  across  the 
creek  at  the  hills.  '  It's  awfully  rough  on  father,'  she 
said.  '  Have  you  thought  how  cut  up  he'll  be  ? ' 

'  Yes,  poor  old  dad.  I  know  he  will  feel  it,  but  I 
can't  help  that'  Joe  spoke  seriously,  and  the  pipe, 
which  required  attention  still,  was  flung  aside.  '  But 
you  know,  Mab,  it's  no  use  my  sticking  here.  We 
are  just  going  to  the  dogs  as  fast  as  we  can  go,  but 
father's  so  determined  to  pull  through  that  he  can't — 
or  won't — see  it.' 

'  I  know  the  fire  and  mother's  illness  and  all  cost 
a  lot  of  money,  but  I  thought  we  were  picking  up,' 
said  Mab,  incredulously.  '  And  isn't  this  going  to  be 
a  grand  harvest  ? ' 

'  Not  too  bad.  The  wheat  might  go  four  bags  all 
round.' 

'Well?' 


2i4  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  Well,  what's  the  good  of  that  ? '  queried  Joe,  con- 
temptuously, 'with  wheat  at  two  bob  a  bushel  in 
Tongalong  ?  Suppose  we  have  four  bags — say  seven- 
teen bushels.  That's  one  pound  fourteen  shillings  an 
acre,  which  sounds  like  money  on  two  hundred  acres. 
But  when  you  take  off — oil  and  twine,  two  shillings — 
bags,  two  shillings — thrashing,  three  shillings — cart- 
ing and  stacking  about  two  shillings — carriage  to 
Tongalong,  ten  shillings — commission,  I  suppose, 
another  bob — there's  not  much  in  it,  is  there?1 

'  I  don't  know/  said  Mabel,  wearily.  '  I  can't  follow 
all  your  figures.' 

'They  sing-song  themselves  through  my  head  all 
the  time  I'm  on  the  binder,  and  they're  not  far  out. 
Anyway,  that  means  there's  only  about  fourteen 
shillings  an  acre  left  to  pay  for  dad's  work  and  mine, 
and  horse  feed,  and  meet  a  bill  on  the  reaper  and 
binder — and  it  won't  do  it — let  alone  pay  interest 
and  allow  us  to  go  on  living.' 

Joe's  grasp  of  the  position  which  she  had  unthink- 
ingly supposed  to  be  improving  was  a  revelation  to 
Mabel. 

'  I  had  no  idea  you  thought  about  it  like  that. 
Have  you  said  anything  to  dad?' 

Joe  shrugged  his  shoulders.  '  No ;  what's  the  use  ? 
He  could  know  it  just  the  same  as  me  if  he  would, 
but  he  won't  go  into  it  because  he  wants  to  be  cheer- 
ful for  mother's  sake,  I  think.  And  it's  just  as  well, 
because  he  couldn't  do  anything  different  if  he  did,  or 
save  one  penny  of  the  expense.' 

'  I  could  help  with  the  stocking,  couldn't  I  ?  and — 
and  drive  a  cart  ? '  said  Mab,  knitting  her  brows  into 
a  frown  as  she  racked  her  brains  vainly  for  possible 
economies. 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  215 

'You  just  suggest  that  to  the  old  man  and  see 
what  he  thinks,'  laughed  Joe.  '  But  all  the  same  you 
know  it's  just  those  mean  little  things  that  do  make 
farming  pay — a  crowd  of  overworked,  half-starved 
kids — living  on  nothing  but  salt  junk — going  a  bit 
slow  on  soap — makin'  beef  of  a  beast  with  lumpy 
jaw,  and  working  a  man  sixteen  hours  a  day  for  ten 
bob  a  week  till  he  jacks  it  up  and  you  pick  up 
another  poor  devil  out  of  a  job  that  reckons  he  can 
stand  it  for  a  time.' 

'The  Scotts  are  getting  on  pretty  well,  aren't 
they?'  asked  Mabel. 

'  I  think  so — but  they  have  a  picked  bit  of  land 
with  ten  miles  less  cartage  than  us — and  look  at 
Uncle  George  !  Isn't  he  as  mean  as  they  make  'em  ? 
When  does  Jimmy  get  a  holiday?  And  the  other 
kids,  poor  little  beasts !  have  to  work  like  niggers 
out  of  school-hours  in  the  cowyard,  for  all  Aunt  Bess 
can  do  to  stop  it.' 

'  If  farming  can't  pay  except  by  doing  things  Uncle 
George's  way,  I  don't  want  it  to,'  said  Mabel, 
decisively. 

'  Well,  you  take  it  from  me — it  can't.  Not  dad's 
way  anyhow — paying  fair  wages  when  he  must  have 
a  man,  and  treating  me  and  you  and  everyone  else — 
except  himself — like  human  beings.  No ;  it's  not  a 
white  man's  game,  and  I'm  going  out  of  it' 

'  But  what  will  father  do  ? '  reiterated  Mab. 

'  I'll  be  able  to  send  him  a  pound  a  week — almost 
enough  to  pay  the  interest — and  a  darned  sight  more 
than  I'm  worth  to  him  here  —  with  nothing  for 
myself.' 

Joe  had  common  sense  on  his  side,  and  Mabel  sat 
silent,  grieving  over  sentimental  aspects  of  the 


216  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

separation   which    she   knew   would   sink    into   her 
father's  soul,  but  felt  it  profitless  to  urge  on  Joe. 

'  But  that  won't  be  for  a  bit  yet,'  he  said  after  a 
pause  ;  'and  in  the  meantime  I'm  going  to  keep  my 
spirits  up,  and  you  keep  your  mouth  shut.' 

'  Of  course ! '  she  said  with  indignation. 

'  And  about  this — it's  no  use  to  annoy  the  old  man.' 
He  took  up  his  pipe  again  and  felt  for  a  match.  '  By 
the  way,  I  wonder  what  Rupert  Harlin's  got  like,  and 
if  he'll  look  at  us  now  since  he's  become  a  University 
man  and  a  travelled  monkey  and  all  the  rest  of  it. 
He  came  back  yesterday.' 

'  Yesterday  ? '  Mabel  was  startled  into  a  little  cry 
of  surprise.  '  I — Mrs  Harlin  told  me  yesterday 
morning  he  wouldn't  be  home  for  a  week.' 

'  Perhaps  the  old  man's  playing  up  worse  than 
usual  and  they've  telegraphed  Rupert  from  Sydney. 
Anyway,  he  is  home,  because  Jimmy  Scott  was  up  to 
borrow  a  couple  of  balls  of  twine  this  morning,  and 
he  told  me  he  saw  him  in  Tongalong  yesterday.' 

Mabel  was  bending  attentively  over  her  work 
again,  and  Joe  kept  one  eye  on  her  as  he  relit  his 
pipe. 

'  You  seem  fluttered,  old  girl,'  he  said  sym- 
pathetically. '  I  know  he  was  a  bit  sweet  on  you 
when  we  were  kids,  but — come  on !  You  might  as 
well  tell  us  all  about  it  now  I've  spotted  you.' 

'  You  haven't  spotted  anything/  said  Mab,  blushing. 

'Oh,  all  right,'  he  laughed;  'but  I  know  you're 
dying  to  tell  somebody.' 

It  was  true ;  and,  thus  encouraged,  with  judicious 
excisions  and  refusals  to  gratify  Joe's  outrageously 
inquisitive  interest  on  some  points  of  detail,  Mab 
told  him  the  story  of  the  ride  to  Grimsby  Farm. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  217 

When  she  had  finished  Joe  suddenly  burst  into  a 
mocking  peal  of  laughter,  and  Mab  got  up  with 
flashing  eyes  and  flaming  cheeks. 

'  You  are  perfectly  disgusting,'  she  almost  sobbed. 
'  After  sneaking  me  into  telling  you,  too !  Let  me 
go!' 

But  Joe  hung  on  to  her  skirt  to  its  imminent 
danger. 

'  Don't  go,  sis,'  he  exclaimed.  '  I'm  awfully  glad. 
But  isn't  it  beastly  funny  you  being  so  holy  about 
my  smoking  on  the  quiet  ?  "  It  isn't  honest,  you 
know." '  He  mimicked  her  to  tone  and  manner,  and 
Mabel  sat  down  again,  laughing  too. 

'  It's  different,'  she  said. 

'  Of  course  it  is — and  about  a  million  times  worse. 
I'm  ashamed  of  you.' 

Then  they  fell  into  serious  talk  and  discussed  the 
matter  with  brotherly  and  sisterly  freedom. 

'  Rupert's  a  jolly  fine  chap  and  I  hope  neither  of 
you  have  changed  your  minds/  said  Joe,  summing  up 
the  situation.  '  Anyway,  unless  he's  a  fool  he  hasn't, 
for  he  wouldn't  find  a  girl  like  you  if  he  looked  in 
half  a  dozen  Europes.' 

'  You've  travelled  such  a  lot — haven't  you,  Joey  ? — 
and  know  all  about  it,'  she  asked,  laughing. 

'  I  know  enough  to  bet  on,'  he  answered,  '  and,'  with 
a  sudden  twinkle  in  his  eye,  'just  a  little  bit  more 
than  you.' 

'  What  do  you  mean  ?  ' 

He  was  on  his  feet  leaning  against  the  wattle  trunk, 
and  after  another  glance  towards  the  house  looked 
down  at  her  with  a  mocking  smile. 

'  Never  you  mind,  but  just  let  me  know  when 
you're  going  to  tell  dad,  so  that  I  can  hide  his  boots 


2 1 8  THE   WISD  OM  OF  ESA  U 

and  take  to  the  hills  for  a  week.  By  Jove,  I  forgot  to 
bathe  that  borrowed  horse's  shoulder  ! ' 

Joe  swung  suddenly  off  towards  the  stables  at  a 
pace  that  surprised  Mabel,  who  sat  to  muse  for  a  little 
in  the  shade  before  going  back  to  the  hot  house 
and  washing  up. 

Presently  she  heard  Joe's  step  again  and  turned 
round  ;  but  it  was  not  Joe,  and  she  jumped  to  her  feet 
with  a  rosy  face  as  Rupert  Harlin  stood  before  her. 

'  Mabel ! '  he  exclaimed,  holding  out  his  hands. 

'  Rupert ! ' 

Then  she  did  not  know  exactly  what  she  said. 
The  consciousness  that  they  had  parted  as  children 
and  met  again  as  man  and  woman  was  at  first 
embarrassing,  but  it  soon  passed  away ;  and  when 
Mabel  went  back  to  the  house  half  an  hour  later,  the 
sight  of  a  pair  of  her  father's  boots  made  her  laugh 
nervously  and  think  of  Joe. 


CHAPTER    II 

KNOWING  her  father  better  than  Rupert,  Mabel  did 
not  think  it  wise  to  stop  him,  hot  and  tired  in  the 
midst  of  his  work,  to  drop  on  him  such  a  bolt  from 
the  blue  as  the  news  of  her  engagement,  and  she 
insisted  that  nothing  should  be  said  of  it  in  her  home 
till  the  Harlins  had  been  told.  She  welcomed  this 
excuse  for  delay,  which  Rupert  chafed  at,  for  his  mind 
was  so  filled  with  the  beauty  of  their  romance  that 
there  was  no  room  for  contemplation  of  its  possible 
obnoxiousness  to  others,  and  he  could  see  no  reason, 
he  said,  for  sneaking  away  from  the  farm  as  though 
he  had  done  something  to  be  ashamed  of. 

Mabel  laughed  and  said  that  if  she  was  worth 
having  she  was  worth  sneaking  for,  since  her  comfort 
and  her  father's  would  be  secured  by  his  doing  so. 
She  insisted  that  he  should  have  it  out  with  his 
own  parents  before  approaching  hers.  Unwillingly 
obedient,  in  a  rather  injured  frame  of  mind,  Rupert 
Harlin  rode  away,  passing  Toland  reaping  in  the 
distance  ;  and,  on  the  way  home,  trying  to  realise  his 
new  happiness,  he  smiled  occasionally  to  himself  as 
he  recognised  landmarks  on  his  last  ride  to  Grimsby 
Farm  when  mile  after  mile  of  his  longed-for  oppor- 
tunity had  gone  by  without  a  word. 

His  mother  was  lying  on  a  sofa  in  the  drawing- 
room,  with  her  thoughts  less  on  her  novel  than  on 
the  heat  and  the  weariness  of  life  in  general,  when 

219 


220  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Rupert  Harlin  entered.  He  had  changed  his  dusty 
clothes  for  a  light  suit  of  flannels  which  seemed  to 
bring  comfort  and  coolness  with  them. 

Mrs  Harlin  sat  up  and  welcomed  him  with  a 
smile  of  pride  and  pleasure. 

'  I  am  so  glad  you  have  come,  Rupert,'  she  said. 
'  I  have  been  intolerably  hot  and  bored.' 

'  I  am  afraid  I  can't  make  you  any  cooler,  mother — 
unless  there  may  be  a  breath  of  air  here  in  the 
draught  from  the  fireplace.  Come  and  try  it.' 

'  Thank  you  ;  I  think  that  is  better,'  answered  Mrs 
Harlin,  settling  herself  with  a  sigh  in  a  cushionless 
wicker  chair  that  Rupert  placed  for  her.  She  looked 
at  her  son,  who  had  selected  another,  and,  with  his 
long  legs  stretched  out,  and  his  hands  behind  his 
head,  leaned  back  gazing  thoughtfully  at  the  ceiling. 

'  Do  you  know,  I  believe  you  are  getting  quite 
handsome,  Rupert  ? '  she  said,  laughing. 

'  That  is  crushing  from  a  mother  who  I  thought 
always  considered  me  an  Apollo.  But  to  change 
the  subject  to  the  beauty  of  lesser  mortals — do  you 
know  who  I  think  is  absolutely  the  prettiest  girl  I 
have  seen  in  the  last  three  years?' 

'  You  must  have  seen  so  many  whom  I  have  never 
met.' 

'  But  you  have  met  this  one — Mabel  Toland.' 

'Oh?'  exclaimed  Mrs  Harlin,  interrogatively,  yet 
not  altogether  surprised.  She  studied  her  son's  face 
for  further  information.  He  was  still  looking  with 
half-closed  eyes  at  the  ceiling,  and  a  smile  flickered 
about  his  mouth. 

'  You  have  seen  her  since  you  came  home,  then  ? ' 

'Yes,  this  afternoon.  In  fact,  I  have  just  come 
back  from  Grimsby  Farm.' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  221 

'  Mabel  is  certainly  a  very  pretty  girl/  assented  Mrs 
Harlin,  waiting  in  nervous  apprehension,  albeit  with 
interest,  for  further  developments  ;  'but  I  should  have 
thought  in  England  you  would  have  found  higher 
standards  of  beauty.  Will  you  ring  the  bell  and  let 
us  have  some  tea  ? ' 

Rupert  straightened  himself  in  his  chair  and  looked 
at  Mrs  Harlin.  '  If  you  don't  mind  waiting  a  few 
minutes  for  your  tea,  mother,  I  have  something  I 
want  to  tell  you  first.' 

'  Certainly,  my  boy — I  can  wait/  She  raised  her 
eyes  to  his  with  a  rather  sad  smile.  '  Shall  I  guess 
what  you  are  going  to  tell  me  ? ' 

'  If  you  like,  and  if  you  can/ 

'That  you  are  in  love  with  Mabel  Toland/ 

'  I  am  in  love  with  Mabel,  but  that's  only  a  small 
and  unimportant  part  of  it.  I've  been  that  for  years. 
I  am  engaged  to  her.  Won't  you  congratulate  me  ? J 

Mrs  Harlin  gave  a  start  of  surprise  and  disappoint- 
ment. She  had  known  there  was  danger  and  guessed 
at  Rupert's  feelings  without  any  idea  that  things  had 
gone  so  far. 

'  I  thought  you  would  be  surprised/  he  continued. 
'  Don't  you  think  I  am  a  very  lucky  man  ? ' 

'Yes,  dear.  I  think  you  are  fortunate  indeed  in 
having  such  a  nice  girl  as  Mabel  Toland  to  love  you/ 
Mrs  Harlin's  voice  trembled  a  little.  As  Rupert  got 
up  from  his  chair  she  rose  too  and  kissed  him,  with  a 
variety  of  feelings,  kept  under  for  the  moment  by  a 
mother's  sympathy,  and  unwillingness  to  chill  his 
happy  enthusiasm. 

'  It  is  very  sudden,  isn't  it  ? '  she  asked  presently. 

'  It  is — and  it  isn't.  I  told  her  how  I  cared  for  her 
before  I  left  three  years  ago,  but  I  couldn't  tell  if  she 


222  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

had  forgotten  me.  I  never  saw  her  or  heard  from  her 
since  that  till  this  afternoon,  and  it  all  happened  then.' 
Mrs  Harlin  waited  tactfully  for  further  confidences 
and  he  went  on  to  tell  with  due  reservations  just  how 
things  stood  now  between  himself  and  Mabel. 

'It  is  a  risky  experiment,  Rupert,'  she  said  at 
length.  '  Her  father  and  yours  will  do  all  they  can 
to  stop  the  marriage ;  and  I  am  not  sure  that  they 
will  not  be  right.' 

'  Why  ? '  he  asked  combatively. 

'  Why  ? '  she  repeated  with  a  little  shrug  of  her 
shoulders.  '  I  am  afraid  I  should  only  make  you 
angry  if  I  tried  to  explain — further  than  that,  on 
general  principles,  marriage  between  people  of  different 
classes,  especially  when  parents  on  both  sides  dis- 
approve, is  a  mistake.' 

'  But  general  principles  have  nothing  to  do  with  it. 
Individuals  can't  sacrifice  their  happiness  to  effete 
class  prejudices.  Mabel  is  Mabel,  and  I  am  I.' 

'  And  you  are  both  young  and  in  love,  which  puts 
an  end  to  argument  and  makes  you  deaf  to  anything 
an  old  woman  might  say,  even  if  she  had  the  heart 
to  say  it.' 

'  I  wish  you  would  not  treat  me  like  a  child,'  said 
Rupert,  loftily.  '  I  think  it  is  rather  insulting  to  my 
common  sense  to  suppose  I  should  not  be  willing  to 
listen  to  any  criticisms  on  my  conduct.' 

'  To  declare  them  out  of  date  and  absurd,'  she  said 
smiling,  and  resting  her  hand  lightly  on  his  shoulder. 
'  No,  Rupert,  dear  ;  don't  let  us  quarrel.  I  tell  you 
frankly  it  was  not  what  I  had  hoped  for  you.  But 
accept  my  congratulations,  and  believe  that  I  think 
Mabel  is  a  very  nice,  sweet  girl,  and  trust  that  you 
will  be  very  happy.' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  223 

But  Rupert  was  not  satisfied.  His  egotism  de- 
manded approval  complete  and  absolute,  and  the 
offer  of  anything  less  seemed  an  injury. 

'  Thank  you,  mother/  he  said  grudgingly.  '  I  know 
you  wish  me  happiness,  but  I  think  you  might  at 
least  tell  me  why  you  think  I  have  gone  an  idiotic 
way  to  get  it' 

'  Rupert !  I  did  not  say  I  thought  anything  of  the 
kind.' 

'  Well,  you  implied  it.' 

Mrs  Harlin  smiled  at  the  sullen  cloud  gathering  on 
his  face.  '  Nor  did  I  imply  it,'  she  sighed.  '  You 
young  people  are  so  impracticable.' 

'  We  want  to  be  treated  like  reasonable  beings.' 

'  Which,  when  you  are  in  love,  you  are  not,'  she 
laughed.  '  But  seriously,  Rupert,  if  you  insist  upon 
a  little  lecture  from  me  you  shall  have  it,  though  I 
know  it  is  wasted  words.  I  confess  I  am  disap- 
pointed in  a  way  at  your  engagement,  because  I  had 
hoped  that  you  would  marry  some  girl  of  your  own 
station  in  life.  At  anyrate,  you  are  too  young  to 
marry  now.  And  I  should  have  liked  to  keep  you 
to  myself  a  little  longer.  You  are  my  only  child.' 

'Now  you  will  have  two — Mabel  and  myself,' 
interrupted  Rupert. 

'  Perhaps,'  she  went  on  with  an  affectionate  glance 
at  her  son,  who  leaned  against  the  mantelpiece  in 
front  of  her.  '  Perhaps  I  shall ;  but  it  will  be  different. 
As  for  Mabel  herself,  I  am  very  fond  of  her.  She 
has  been  with  me  much  since  you  went  to  England, 
and  I  have  learned  to  know  her.  And  if  her  family 
and  relations  were  different  I  should  not  have  a  word 
to  say.' 

'  I  don't  marry  her  relatives,'  he  interjected  grandly. 


224  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  That  shows  how  young  you  are.  Do  you  suppose 
no  one  has  pride  but  yourself?  Can  you  imagine 
yourself  allowing  all  the  tribe  of  Scotts  to  make 
themselves  at  home  at  Kumbarra?  Can  you  guess 
at  the  sore  feeling  it  will  cause  if  you  don't — even 
though  your  wife  should  agree  that  it  won't  do  ?  And 
besides,  Mabel  has  the  deepest  love  for  her  father.1 

'  Quite  right  too.  I  think  that  he  is  a  very  fine 
man.' 

'  There  is  no  need  to  tell  me  she  is  right.  And  I 
agree  that  he  is  a  fine  man,  but  one  quite  impossible 
for  you  or  me  to  get  on  with.  He  is  embittered 
against  us  already — an  old  sore,  not  to  be  healed, 
that  had  its  origin  in  the  dummying  of  Kumbarra 
more  than  twenty  years  ago,  when  he  and  your  father 
had  hot  words.  This  will  make  matters  worse — 
alienate  Mabel  to  some  extent  from  her  father,  and 
make  things  harder  than  ever  to  bear  for  her  mother, 
who  was  a  very  dear  friend  of  mine,  and  has  become 
almost  a  stranger  to  me  since  her  marriage — for  a 
woman  can  keep  no  friends  who  are  her  husband's 
enemies.' 

'  But  I  have  no  enemies  who  are  Mabel's  friends,' 
argued  Rupert. 

'  But  you  speedily  will  have.  Her  relatives  will 
call  you  stuck  up  and  proud.  They  will  transfer 
their  dislike  to  Mabel,  and  she  will  feel  the  bitter- 
ness of  it.  Don't  ask  me  to  say  any  more,'  she  said 
wearily.  '  Perhaps  I  was  unwise  to  say  so  much. 
Come  and  give  me  a  kiss,  and  tell  me  you  forgive 
your  old  mother.' 

Rupert  kissed  her  and  laughed.  '  There  is  nothing 
to  forgive,  but  I  am  going  to  marry  Mabel  and  be 
very  happy.' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  225 

'  Of  course  you  are,'  she  answered,  surreptitiously 
brushing  away  a  tear.  '  Ring  the  bell  now,  like  a 
good  boy,  if  you  are  content  to  argue  no  more.' 

Rupert's  hand  was  on  the  bell  when  the  door 
opened  and  his  father  came  in,  bringing  with  him  an 
atmosphere  of  the  drafting  yards  and  whisky  and 
tobacco. 

'  What  are  you  two  discussing  so  earnestly  ? '  he 
asked. 

'  We  were  just  having  a  little  talk,'  answered  Mrs 
Harlin,  with  a  warning  glance  at  her  son.  '  We  are 
going  to  have  some  tea.' 

'  Rupert  seems  to  spend  all  his  time  in  tea  and 
talk,'  sneered  Harlin,  throwing  himself  into  a  chair 
and  wiping  a  shining  forehead  that  merged  itself  in  a 
wilderness  of  baldness.  'Why  weren't  you  down  with 
us  at  the  yards  instead  of  loafing  about  indoors  ? ' 

'  I  had  something  more  important  to  do,'  answered 
Rupert,  curtly.  He  still  stood  by  the  fireplace  looking 
down  at  his  father,  noticing  how  the  once  well-cut 
features  had  been  marred  and  the  whole  face  pre- 
maturely aged  by  dissipation.  Woman's  loyal  con- 
servatism he  thought  was  certainly  an  extraordinary 
thing.  His  mother  had  married  in  her  own  class — 
and  yet  she  was  an  enthusiastic  advocate  of  such  a 
course. 

The  heat  and  the  sheep  had  not  improved  Harlin's 
temper.  His  furtive  blue  eyes,  which  could  not  now 
meet  others  for  a  second,  had  detected  Rupert's  calm 
scrutiny,  and  he  resented  it. 

'  Ton  my  soul,  Rupert,'  he  said  testily,  '  I  don't 
think  your  trip  to  England  has  improved  your 
habits  or  your  manners.  What  the  deuce  are  you 
staring  at  ? ' 

P 


226  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  I  beg  your  pardon,'  answered  Rupert,  with  a  start. 
'  I  did  not  mean  to  stare.  I  was  thinking  of  my 
own  affairs.' 

'  Then  you  have  some  affairs  to  think  about  ?  I'm 
glad  to  hear  it,  for  you  seem  to  take  deuced  little 
interest  in  mine.' 

'  Rupert  has  not  been  long  enough  back  to  get 
into  the  routine  of  the  station  work  yet,'  interposed 
Mrs  Harlin.  '  Will  you  have  any  tea,  Tom  ? ' 

'  No,  thanks.     You  know  I  never  drink  tea.' 

Rupert  placed  his  cup  beside  him  on  the  mantel- 
piece and  waited  till  the  servant  had  left  the  room. 

'  I  don't  know  that  I  ever  shall  be  particularly 
interested  in  the  station,  except  as  a  means  to  a 
living,'  he  said.  '  But  would  you  like  to  hear  what 
I  have  to  tell  you  ?  ' 

Harlin  grumbled  an  affirmative,  and  in  disregard 
of  his  mother's  frown  of  warning,  Rupert  thrust  his 
hands  into  his  pockets  and  looked  again  at  Mr  Harlin. 

'  I  am  afraid  it  may  not  please  you,  father,'  he  said 
with  a  slight  nervous  tremor  in  his  voice, '  but  I  hope 
you  will  let  me  judge  what  is  for  my  happiness.  I 
am  engaged  to  Mabel  Toland.' 

'  What  ? ' 

The  shock  of  surprise  and  anger  brought  Harlin  to 
his  feet  as  he  almost  bawled  the  question ;  and  before 
the  roughness  and  menace  of  his  tone,  all  Rupert's 
hopes  of  conciliation  vanished. 

'  I  thought  I  spoke  plainly,'  he  answered  with  his 
lips  parted  and  slightly-heightened  colour.  '  I  am 
engaged  to  Mabel  Toland.' 

Harlin  sank  into  his  chair  again  and  laughed 
angrily.  'Then  be  good  enough  to  break  the  en- 
gagement off  immediately.' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  227 

'  Is  that  all  you  are  going  to  say  about  it  ? ' 

'Yes — unless  you  want  me  to  add  that  I  won't 
have  it ;  that  I  will  not  leave  you  a  penny  if  you 
disobey  my  wishes  ;  and  that  I  refuse  to  let  my  son 
marry  the  daughter  of  a  sullen  blackguard  who  has 
had  nothing  but  black  looks  and  bad  words  for  me 
ever  since  he  and  a  few  precious  mates  of  his  sneaked 
on  to  my  land.5 

'  Your  land  !  Who  made  it  yours  ? '  queried  Rupert, 
with  a  sarcastic  laugh. 

'  The  law — and  my  good  money — not  a  penny  of 
which  you  shall  see  if  I  hear  any  more  of  this 
nonsense.' 

'  Look  here,  sir,'  began  Rupert,  with  rising  temper. 
'  I  may  owe  you  respect,  but  I  am  of  age,  and  I 
refuse — ' 

Mrs  Harlin  rose  hurriedly  from  her  chair,  and  laid 
her  hand  pleadingly  on  his  arm.  She  had  sat  in 
silence  up  till  then,  hoping  in  vain  that  the  storm 
would  pass  by  without  her  interference. 

'  Pray  don't  quarrel  with  your  father,'  she  begged. 
'  Go  away  now  and  discuss  the  matter  again  when 
you  have  both  thought  it  over.' 

'  I  have  given  the  subject  all  the  thought  it  de- 
serves, Margaret,  and  he  has  my  answer,'  exclaimed 
Harlin. 

Rupert  turned  to  his  mother. 

'  Don't  worry  about  us,'  he  said  soothingly.  '  I 
know  what  I  am  doing.' 

'  No  !  no  !  You  are  both  angry  and  excited,  and  I 
can't  let  you  dispute  and  say  things  you  will  regret.' 

'  I  am  not  a  boy,  mother — I  must  manage  my  own 
affairs.  Please  go  away  for  a  few  minutes  and  leave 
us  alone.' 


228  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Mrs  Harlin  hesitated,  astonished  by  a  tone  of  com- 
mand in  the  voice  which  she  had  hitherto  been  ac- 
customed to  hear  in  protest  against,  or  in  acquiescence 
with,  her  own.  Then,  as  he  urged  her  again,  and 
almost  led  her  to  the  door,  she  gave  way ;  and  Harlin 
saw  with  uneasy  astonishment  his  wife  obey  her  son's 
quiet  order  where  she  would  have  ignored  his  own, 
however  emphatically  expressed. 

Rupert  closed  the  door  and,  returning  to  his  place 
by  the  mantelpiece,  reopened  the  conversation. 

'  Look  here,  father,'  he  said,  '  I  am  truly  sorry  my 
wishes  are  distasteful  to  you,  and  I  don't  want  to  say 
anything  disrespectful ;  but  please  do  not  speak  of 
Mr  Toland,  who  is  as  honest  and  in  every  way  as  reput- 
able a  man  as  yourself,  as  a  sneak  or  a  blackguard.' 

Harlin  winced.  He  sat  angrily  twisting  his 
moustache,  with  Rupert  standing  above  him,  taking 
the  tone  of  reproof  that  should  be  his,  and  became 
aware  that  in  this  son  there  were  reserves  of  violence 
as  great  as  his  own  underlying  the  mother's  quiet 
manner. 

'  We  will  keep  each  our  own  opinions  of  Mr 
Toland,'  he  said  with  a  sneer.  '  I  suppose  you  have 
become  imbued  with  this  new  democratic  foolery  at 
Oxford.  However  that  may  be,  I  forbid  you  to 
marry  Mabel  Toland.' 
'Why?' 

'  Because  she  is  not  a  fit  match  for  you,  and  I  don't 
choose  that  you  should  disgrace  the  family  and  make 
a  fool  of  yourself.' 

'Please  drop  personalities,'  said  Rupert,  flushing. 
'  I  presume  that  you  have  nothing  to  say  against 
Mabel — not  that  I  should  listen  to  you  if  you  had,' 
he  added  hastily. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  229 

'  You  may  set  your  mind  at  rest  on  that  score.  I 
think  her  rather  a  pretty  and — considering  her  station 
and  her  brute  of  a  father — quite  a  remarkably  nice 
girl.  But  you  shall  not  marry  her.' 

'  And  I  say  I  shall.' 

'  Very  well.  Your  allowance  from  me  ceases  and 
you  get  nothing  under  my  will.  By  God,  I  mean  what 
I  say  !  Do  you  hear  that,  sir  ?  I  refuse  to  support  an 
undutiful,  idle  prig  of  a  son  who  forgets  he  is  a  gentle- 
man and  plays  the  fool  with  a  blasted  cockie's 
daughter!  I  have  done  with  you.'  Harlin  had 
worked  himself  into  a  passion,  and  he  stamped  about 
the  room. 

Rupert's  eyes  blazed  with  anger  too  and  his  face 
went  very  white.  '  A  gentleman ! '  he  sneered. 
'  What  example  do  you  set  to  me  ? ' 

'  You — you  young  viper  ! '  spluttered  Harlin.  '  Get 
out  of  my  house  and  go  to  your  Tolands  ! ' 

'Very  well,'  answered  Rupert,  with  a  twinge  of 
conscience.  '  I  know  you  have  been  a  good  father  to 
me,  and  I  regret  having  said  anything  to  hurt  you.' 

Harlin's  only  answer  to  this  advance  was  a  con- 
temptuous snort  and  Rupert  continued,  '  I  am  sorry, 
and  I  apologise  for  what  I  said  in  the  heat  of  temper. 
But  all  the  same  I  am  old  enough  to  be  my  own 
master  and  I  intend  to  have  my  own  way.' 

'  Then  have  it  and  be  damned  to  you !  But  don't 
ask  me  to  help  you.' 

'  I  shall  not.  But,  as  you  know,  there  is  money  of 
mine  in  the  station  payable  to  me  now  under  my 
mother's  marriage  settlement.' 

'Well?' 

'  I  must  have  that  money  out,  or  a  portion  at  least, 
as  you  can  afford  it.  This  is  not  a  threat  but  a 


23o  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

necessity,  as  I  have  no  profession,  and,  except  what 
you  have  allowed  me,  nothing  to  live  on.1 

Harlin  thought  for  a  second  or  two,  calmed  by  this 
practical  drawback  to  a  quarrel,  and  Rupert  watched 
him.  It  would  be  a  squeeze  to  realise  the  sum  in 
hard  cash,  but  suddenly  his  rage  returned,  getting 
the  better  of  caution. 

'Take  it,'  he  said,  'and  go  to  hell  with  it!' 

'  Thank  you,'  said  Rupert,  smiling  in  spite  of 
himself.  'Have  you  anything  to  add?' 

'  Nothing — except  go  quickly.' 

Harlin  strode  angrily  out  of  the  room,  leaving  his 
son  to  ponder  over  the  delights  of  his  engagement. 


CHAPTER  III 

MRS  HARLIN  found  Rupert  in  his  room,  angry  and 
crestfallen,  but  more  obstinate  than  ever.  He  was 
refilling  a  half-unpacked  Gladstone  bag  amongst  his 
just-arrived  baggage,  preparing  to  shake  the  dust  of 
his  father's  house  from  his  feet,  and  to  take  up  his 
abode  in  Tongalong  till  he  could  see  Mabel  and  tell 
her  of  the  crisis  in  their  affairs.  His  mother's  en- 
treaties, however,  induced  him  to  give  way,  and  not 
to  bring  the  eventful  day  of  his  engagement  to  quite 
such  a  melancholy  close.  If  he  left  the  house  in 
anger  it  would  break  her  heart  she  said.  She  smiled 
at  his  indignant  query  how  it  was  possible  for  him  to 
accept  his  father's  hospitality  after  what  had  passed 
between  them.  All  things,  she  thought,  should  be 
possible  in  the  way  of  conciliation  from  a  son  to  a 
father,  whose  deepest  prejudices  he  had  opposed, 
especially  a  father  who  up  to  now  had  been  so  gener- 
ous and  indulgent  as  his  had  been.  She  did  not  for 
one  moment  ask  him  to  give  up  Mabel,  or  to  sur- 
render anything  that  he  thought  was  right,  but  only 
to  keep  silence  on  the  vexed  question  and  remain 
for  a  few  days  at  Kumbarra,  after  which  he  might  go 
up  to  the  New  South  Wales  station  while  she  fought 
his  and  Mabel's  battles  at  home.  He  would  show 
the  truest  generosity  by  subordinating  his  pride  a 
little  to  the  family  peace,  besides  which,  she  was  sure 
that  he  would  be  sorry  to  aggravate  the  quarrel  and 
cause  indelible  bitterness  by  forcing  his  father  to  find 

231 


232  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

the  money,  which  had  really  gone  into  the  station  as 
an  investment  for  him. 

Being  unwilling  to  embarrass  his  father,  and  at- 
tached to  both  his  parents,  Rupert  had  already  cooled 
down  and  succumbed  to  Mrs  Harlin's  arguments 
when,  womanlike,  she  could  not  forbear  adding  to 
their  cogency  by  throwing  in  a  little  bribe.  On 
Sunday  she  promised  she  would  get  Mabel  to  spend 
the  day  at  Kumbarra,  and  early  on  Monday  morning, 
if  she  could  be  persuaded  to  stay  the  night  at  the 
station,  Rupert  should  drive  her  home. 

That  was  Thursday.  Rupert  obeyed  his  mother's 
wishes  ;  and,  with  the  greatest  difficulty  keeping  away 
from  Grimsby  Farm,  lived  in  a  fever  of  expectation 
till  the  longed-for  Sunday  came. 

In  the  meantime,  he  again  saw  his  father,  who, 
doubtless  owing  to  Mrs  Harlin's  influence,  seemed  a 
little  ashamed  of  his  former  violence.  He  was  ready 
to  meet  Rupert  half  way,  so  that  a  peace  was  patched 
up  between  them,  on  the  understanding  that  nothing 
more  should  be  said  at  present  of  his  intention  to 
marry  Mabel ;  that  he  should  go  shortly  to  spend  a 
few  months  at  work  on  Harlin's  New  South  Wales 
property ;  and  that  if  he  was  still  of  the  same  mind 
the  question  might  be  re-opened  on  his  return. 

Rupert  declared  with  some  warmth  that  delay  or 
absence  could  make  no  manner  of  difference  to  his 
feelings.  This  nearly  provoked  another  outburst 
from  his  father,  who  checked  himself,  however,  merely 
saying  grimly  that  fools  sometimes  exaggerated  their 
own  folly,  and  that  Rupert  had  better  not  run  his 
head  against  a  wall  earlier  than  was  necessary. 

Mrs  Harlin  had  said  nothing  to  her  husband  of 
Mabel's  expected  visit,  and  Rupert  salved  his  con- 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  233 

science  for  likewise  keeping  silence  by  the  reflection 
that  he  had  made  no  promise  not  to  see  her,  and 
that  he  was  not  to  sit  in  judgment  on  his  mother's 
tactics,  which  were  admirably  designed  for  the  con- 
venience of  Mabel  and  himself.  He  more  than  sus- 
pected that  an  idle  impulse  of  his  father's  towards  a 
visit  to  a  neighbour  the  other  side  of  Tongalong  was 
fanned  into  activity  by  Mrs  Harlin.  At  anyrate  his 
father  drove  away  on  Saturday  afternoon,  and  early 
on  Sunday  morning  Mrs  Harlin  sent  her  buggy  and 
ponies  to  bring  Mabel  to  Kumbarra. 

Mabel  blushed  and  looked  inquiringly  from  Rupert 
to  his  mother  when  the  latter  welcomed  her  and 
kissed  her  affectionately,  without,  however,  making 
any  reference  to  late  events. 

It  was  an  awkward  moment  for  everybody  con- 
cerned, but  Mrs  Harlin  put  an  end  to  it  by  a  sudden 
recollection  of  orders  concerning  lunch,  which  would 
be  ready  in  half  an  hour,  and  she  begged  Mabel 
to  excuse  her. 

'  Does  she  know  ? '  was  the  girl's  almost  breathless 
inquiry,  with  anxious  eyes  turned  on  Rupert,  as  the 
door  closed  behind  her  hostess.  She  stepped  back 
a  pace  and  with  a  little  commanding  gesture  kept 
him  from  her  till  he  had  answered  her  question. 
'Yes.' 

There  was  a  sigh  of  relief;  her  lips  parted  in  a 
smile  that  showed  a  flash  of  white  teeth,  and  her  eyes 
fell  before  Rupert's  which  were  worshipping  every- 
thing about  her  with  admiration  he  fondly  believed  to 
be  critical,  triumphantly  vindicating  his  constancy  to 
the  boyish  ideal,  which,  in  the  short  hour  of  three  days 
ago,  he  had  only  half  discovered  to  fall  so  far  short  of 
the  reality. 


234  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

To  a  man  more  experienced  and  less  in  love  than 
Rupert  the  picture  that  Mabel  presented  would 
indeed  have  been  fair  to  see.  A  half-petulant  little 
frown  and  pouting  of  the  lips,  at  the  readiness  of  her 
undemonstrative  lover  to  obey  the  lapsed  command  to 
keep  away,  gave  an  added  piquancy  to  her  bright 
young  face ;  and  Rupert  was  so  engrossed  in  the 
aesthetic  pleasure  of  studying  her  that  he  subdued  the 
impulse  to  take  her  in  his  arms  and,  with  a  smiling 
suspicion  of  its  cause,  watched  the  frown  deepen. 
Her  foot  tapped  impatiently  and  he  looked  down  at 
it.  Unable  to  persuade  himself  that  it  was  extra- 
ordinarily small,  he  noted  with  satisfaction  that  it  was 
well  shaped  and  neatly  booted.  Good  looks,  allied 
to  innate  good  taste  rising  superior  to  limitations  im- 
posed by  rigid  economy,  made  her  faultlessly  dressed 
in  Rupert's  eyes,  and,  though  he  could  for  a  moment 
concentrate  his  attention  on  some  single  detail  to  ap- 
prove it,  a  grateful  impression  of  brightness,  coolness 
and  grace  summed  up  his  perception  of  Mabel.  A 
woman  would  have  told  him  that  the  pink  print  was 
cheap  and  fading ;  the  straw  sailor  hat  last  year's 
shape ;  the  Suede  gloves  cleaned  more  than  once,  and 
would  have  probably  felt  injured  that  such  grave  facts 
should  weigh  so  little,  but  Rupert  saw  only  a  sweet 
picture  harmoniously  framed.  Her  clear  olive  skin, 
that  defied  sunburn,  showed  the  red  beneath,  intensified 
a  little  by  the  excitement  she  felt  and  the  drive  in  a 
north  wind  that  had  blown  loose  a  lock  or  two  of 
brown  hair,  giving  a  pleasant  relieving  touch  of  un- 
tidiness. Her  tall,  slight  figure  had  the-  grace  that 
comes  from  constant  exercise,  never  degenerating 
into  toil  beyond  the  strength  of  healthy  young  limbs ; 
for  it  was  a  jealously-guarded  article  of  her  father's 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  235 

faith  that  no  necessity  justified  the  imposition  of 
other  than  woman's  work  on  woman's  shoulders  ;  and 
the  charm  of  Mabel's  lithe  shapeliness  was  his 
complete  justification. 

As  Rupert  still  showed  no  disposition  to  speak, 
Mabel  was  obliged  to  break  the  silence. 

'  You  don't  seem  to  have  much  to  say  to  me,'  she 
ventured. 

'  Haven't  I,  though  ? '  he  laughed,  kissing  her  this 
time  without  other  protest  than  a  slight  blush.  '  I  have 
so  much  to  say  that  I  don't  know  where  to  begin — 
and  you're  so  good  to  look  at,  Mab,  darling,  that  it 
seems  a  pity  to  leave  off  even  to  kiss  you.' 

She  glanced  up  at  him  with  a  bright  smile. 

'  It's  nice  of  you  to  be  so  silly,  but  I  want  you  to  be 
serious  now  and  tell  me  all  that  Mr  and  Mrs  Harlin 
said.' 

'Well— I  don't  think  I'll  exactly  do  that,  you 
know,'  drawled  Rupert,  with  humorously-raised  eye- 
brows, as  he  recalled  his  father's  violent  language. 
'  But  I'll  tell  you  the  long  and  the  short  of  it.  The 
mater  considers  us  young  and  foolish,  but  approves — 
your  being  here  is  the  best  proof  of  that.' 

'  Yes — and  your  father  ?  ' 

'  He  considers  us  still  younger  and  more  foolish — 
and  he  doesn't  approve — somewhat  emphatically.' 

'  Why  not  ? ' 

Rupert  laughed  a  little  uneasily,  but  Mabel's  eyes 
demanded  the  truth,  and  he  saw  that  the  question 
could  not  be  evaded. 

'  Because,'  he  began,  casting  about  for  euphemistic 
words, '  because  he  and  your  father  are  not  friends,  you 
know — and  I  think  he  wants  to  choose  my  wife  for 
me.' 


236  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

A  combative  smile  hovered  about  Mabel's  lips. 

'  And  he  thinks  a  selector's  daughter  is  not  good 
enough  for  you  ?  ' 

'  Come  here  and  don't  talk  nonsense,  Mab,'  he  ex- 
claimed, trying  to  put  his  arm  round  her.  'Or  at 
least,  if  my  father  has  ridiculous  squattocratic  notions, 
don't  visit  his  sins  on  me.' 

'  There,  you  have  admitted  it,'  she  said  pettishly, 
but  smiling  in  spite  of  herself,  and  making  only  a 
feeble  effort  to  escape  the  hand  on  her  waist.  '  I  don't 
want  anyone  thrown  away  upon  me.' 

'  Then  you  should  have  said  so  before.  See  here, 
darling  ! '  He  held  her  by  the  arms ;  and  Mabel, 
looking  up  into  his  face,  felt  that  parents'  wishes 
counted  for  very  little  while  that  expression  was 
there.  '  You  must  be  fair,  Mab,  to  my  father  as  well 
as  to  me.  Yours  thinks  you  are  much  too  good  for  a 
beastly  squatter's  son — he's  right,  to  be  sure  —  but 
that's  your  fault,  not  his.  And  in  his  way  he  is  just 
as  cranky  and  unreasonable  as  my  old  dad.' 

'  I  suppose  he  is,'  sighed  Mabel. 

'  Of  course  he  is  ! '  Rupert  clinched  the  argument 
with  a  kiss.  '  So  let's  make  the  best  of  our  respec- 
tive father's  idiosyncracies  and  show  them  that  love 
has  no  time  to  bother  about  little  things  of  the  kind.' 

'  That  is  all  very  well,  but — ' 

'  But  nothing — this  is  Sunday,  and  I'm  not  going 
to  argue.' 

'  I  don't  care  whether  you  argue  or  not ;  but  you're 
going  to  listen.  Sit  down  there  and  hear  what  I 
have  to  say.' 

£  ^Rupert  drew  a  chair  up  opposite  hers  and  leaned 
forward  with  his  elbows  on  his  knees,  staring  at  her 
solemnly.  '  Go  on,  Goddess  of  Wisdom.  I  am  all 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  237 

ears — except  a  little  bit  of  eye  that  tells  me  you  are 
very  beautiful.' 

Mabel  haughtily  ignored  the  interruptions. 

'  It  is  not  exactly  the  same  for  us.  I  know  my 
father  has  just  as  much  pride  as  yours,'  she  began 
hesitatingly;  'but  I  do  know,  too,  that  our  positions 
are  different.  You  are  a  gentleman's  son,  and  I — ' 

Rupert  half  rose  with  an  impatient  gesture. 

'  No  ;  let  me  say  it,'  she  went  on  with  a  somewhat 
disdainful  smile  curling  her  lips.  '  Don't  think  that  I 
am  humble — I  am  not.  And  it  is  just  because  I  am 
proud,  and  our  social  positions — '  This  time  Rupert 
refused  to  be  silenced  or  to  keep  his  seat. 

'  Look  here,  Mab,'  he  said  almost  sternly,  standing 
over  her  and  imprisoning  her  hands  with  his  on  the 
chair  arms.  '  You  are  not  to  think.  I  don't  care  two- 
pence whether  it  is  your  pride,  or  humility,  or  position 
or  any  other  nonsense — you  are  not  to  have  it.  We  be- 
longto  each  other  and  that's  all  about  it.  Doyou  hear  ? ' 

'  I  ought  to  —  you  are  emphatic  enough,'  she 
answered,  looking  up  with  a  laugh. 

'  I  have  to  be  when  you  are  so  obstreperous.  No, 
I  am  not  going  to  let  you  go  yet.  Pride  is  rot  some- 
times. I  have  pocketed  mine  by  staying  here  in  the 
old  man's  house  after  a  row  with  him.  I  have  pro- 
mised to  go  up  to  New  South  Wales  for  a  few  months 
and  not  to  make  our  engagement  public,  or  say  any- 
thing to  him  till  I  come  back,  because  more  row  now 
would  mean  money  worries  to  him  and  grieve  my 
mother.  You  see  he  hopes — or  pretends  to  hope — 
that  we  will  think  better  of  it ;  but  we  know  that  is 
nonsense.  Your  people,  if  you  like,  need  not  be  told 
anything  till  I  am  home  again  and  my  side  of  the 
business  settled  once  for  all.  Will  that  do  ? ' 


238  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

1  I  think  it  will,'  she  said  meekly. 

'  Well,  let  this  be  a  lesson  to  you.  Be  good 
another  time.  You  may  go  now.'  He  smiled  at  her 
affectionately  and  released  her  hands. 

'  But  you  may  not,'  she  said,  clasping  one  of  his.  '  I 
am  not  going  to  argue  or  dictate — I  am  not  violent 
enough  to  have  a  chance  against  you — I  only  want  to 
know  something.' 

'  Anything  you  like.' 

'  Are  you  sure — quite  sure — that  you  are  not  mak- 
ing a  mistake  ?  Is  it  worth  all  the  quarrelling  and 
everything  for  a  girl  you  scarcely  know  ? ' 

'  Is  it  the  girl  who  was  boasting  just  now  of  her 
terrible  pride  ? '  He  shook  his  head  at  her  mockingly. 
'  I  am  surprised  at  you,  Mabel.' 

'  Pride  has  nothing  to  do  with  it,'  she  said  with  a 
happy  sigh.  '  You  are  sure — that  is  all  I  want.  I 
am  very  fond  of  you,  but  it  seems  wonderful  that  you 
should  care  so  much — though  I  thought  of  you  always 
and  somehow  expected  you  would,  and  I  should  have 
been  ever  so  unhappy  if  you  had  forgotten  what  you 
said  that  night.' 

'  It  was  the  only  thing  I  really  remembered.  Ever 
since  I  was  a  boy  I  have  never  cared  for  any  other 
girl  like  you.  And  I  used  to  think — '  Rupert  stopped 
suddenly  as  he  heard  a  step  in  the  passage.  '  I'll  tell 
you  all  about  that  some  other  time.  Now  I  have  got 
you,  and  I'm  not  going  to  give  you  up.  That's 
mother  coming,  so  I'll  clear  out  and  give  her  a  chance 
for  a  five  minutes'  yarn  with  you  to  put  things  straight 
before  lunch.  Don't  funk  it.'  He  stooped  down  and 
kissed  the  hand  holding  his,  just  as  the  door  opened 
and  Mrs  Harlin  came  in  with  a  smile  of  comprehen- 
sion to  take  Mabel  to  her  room, 


CHAPTER   IV 

'  Do  you  know  what  I  have  been  thinking  of,  Ruth  ? ' 
said  her  husband  as  she  kissed  him  good-night. 

He  had  been  sitting  brooding  over  the  fire  for 
hours,  whilst  the  wind  howled  and  the  rain  rattled 
on  the  iron  roof. 

'  How  to  make  farming  pay  ? '  she  asked  with  a 
smile. 

'  No,  not  to-night.  For  once  I  thrust  that  away. 
I  was  thinking  of  the  days  when  you  helped  me 
among  the  maize.  We  were  not  married  then,  and 
there  were  no  grey  hairs  amidst  the  brown.  Ah, 
lassie !  I  never  thought  to  drive  furrows  across  your 
face.' 

'  Hush,  you  mustn't  say  such  things.  No  one  is 
proof  against  time.  Let  us  think  of  that  day 
together.  I  shall  never  forget  it.  It's  long  ago,  but 
it  seems  like  yesterday.  I  feel  now  as  I  felt  then. 
Do  you,  dearest?' 

He  pressed  her  closer  to  him  for  reply,  and  like  two 
lovers  they  sat  gazing  at  the  glowing  embers  whilst 
the  ticking  of  the  clock  alone  broke  the  silence  in  the 
room. 

Then  Toland  spoke  in  a  deep,  low  voice  full  of 
suppressed  emotion. 

'  How  I  misled  you  !  I  lured  you  with  a  picture 
of  the  future  painted  in  bright  colours.  Fate  has 
daubed  it  all  over  and  made  it  real,' 

239 


24o  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  You  did  not  mislead  me.  You  promised  to  love 
me — that  was  all  I  wanted,  and  I  have  got  more  than 
I  ever  hoped  for.' 

They  were  silent  again  whilst  a  gust  of  wind  struck 
the  cottage  and  made  it  shake  to  its  foundation, 
breaking  round  it  with  a  shrieking  sound  like  a  spirit 
in  distress.  Then  there  followed  a  muffled  roar,  as  a 
great  tree,  not  far  distant,  crashed  to  the  ground. 

Ruth  gave  an  involuntary  shudder  and  drew  closer 
to  her  husband. 

'  Everything  seems  to  fall/  he  said  enigmatically. 

'  But  some  can  rise  again,'  said  Ruth,  interpreting 
his  thoughts. 

'Ruth,  there  is  something  I  should  tell  you,'  he 
said  after  a  pause.  '  I  have  been  keeping  it  to  myself. 
Things  are  in  a  bad  way  with  us.  The  mortgage 
falls  due  shortly.  If  I  cannot  get  it  renewed  God  only 
knows  what  will  happen  to  us.' 

'  I  knew  something  was  worrying  you,  dear.  Why 
did  you  not  tell  me  before  ?  ' 

'  I  couldn't,'  he  replied  with  something  like  a 
groan.  '  I  want  to  bear  it  all  myself ;  and  yet  the 
misery  is  that  if  things  go  wrong  you  must  suffer 
too.' 

'  I  shall  only  suffer  because  it  will  make  you 
miserable.' 

'  Not  suffer !  Why,  what  would  become  of  you  if 
we  were  driven  from  our  home  to  tramp  the  roads 
and  become  vagabonds  on  the  face  of  the  earth  ? ' 

'  I  should  be  like  the  Ruth  of  old,  "  Wheresoever 
thou  goest  I  shall  go."  But  all  the  same  I  am  sure 
everything  will  yet  turn  out  for  the  best' 

'  For  years  I  thought  so,  but  failure  follows  upon 
failure.  At  the  start  I  was  full  of  hope,  and  no  work 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  241 

seemed  too  hard  ;  but  nothing  seems  to  prosper,  and 
sometimes  now,  when  I'm  out,  I  feel  inclined  to  throw 
away  the  tools  and  go  and  drown  myself.  I  know 
now  what  it  is  that  drives  men  to  the  shanty.  It 
isn't  the  brutishness  of  their  nature  but  the  hopeless- 
ness of  their  lives.' 

Ruth  took  her  husband's  hand  in  hers  and  looked 
at  him  with  compassionate  eyes  from  which  the  love- 
light  had  not  faded. 

'You  will  not  fail,  John,  dear — and  you  will  not 
fall.  All  will  come  right.  I  know  it  will.' 

'  We  will  hope  so,  little  mother.  There  is  nothing 
to  do  but  to  fight  on.  It's  a  shame  of  me  to  worry 
you  about  it,  for  that  can't  do  any  good.  You  must  try 
and  not  mind  if  sometimes  I'm  a  bit  of  a  savage — for 

O 

somehow  or  another  strange  fits  come  upon  me  now.' 

Though  that  was  precisely  what  Ruth  did  mind, 
and  which  crushed  her  loving  nature  more  than  any 
prospect  of  misfortunes  to  come,  she  replied  sweetly, — 

'  I  will  try  and  not  mind,  for  I  know  how  much  you 
feel  it  all,  but  you  must  promise  to  tell  me  all  your 
worries.' 

'Well,  we  will  not  talk  about  them  anymore  to-night. 
It's  late,  and  I  must  send  you  to  bed.  Do  not  lie 
awake  thinking  of  them.' 

'  You  must  come  soon  too,'  said  Ruth,  as  she  rose. 
'  You  are  always  so  very  late  now  that  it  seems  to  be 
near  morning.  Mr  Conyngham  will  be  here  to- 
morrow night  and  you  are  sure  to  sit  up  talking,  so 
do  get  a  good  night's  rest.' 

'  I  won't  be  long.  I'm  glad  Conyngham's  coming. 
I  want  to  have  a  yarn  with  him.' 

When  Ruth  had  gone,  Toland  sat  brooding  for 
a  while  with  his  elbows  on  his  knees  and  his  head 

Q 


24 2  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

between  his  hands.  Then  he  began  to  pace  the 
room,  a  prey  to  the  thoughts  that  would  not  let  him 
rest.  At  first  there  was  a  gentle  look  upon  his  face 
as  he  thought  of  Ruth's  unfaltering  love,  but  gradually 
it  departed  and  he  grew  to  look  stern  and  morose. 
Round  and  round  the  table  he  strode,  with  his  hands 
clenched  behind  his  back,  his  head  bent  forward 
and  his  great  shoulders  stooping.  Then  he  felt 
cramped  by  the  limits  of  his  cage  and  passed  on  to 
the  verandah.  There  he  felt  more  in  his  element ; 
for  as  he  marched  up  and  down  he  was  buffeted  by 
the  wind,  and  the  noise  of  the  storm  at  once  soothed 
and  exhilarated  him.  After  a  while  he  threw  himself 
down  on  a  bench,  and  his  iron  frame  being  inured  to 
all  weather,  he  did  not  heed  the  piercing  wind.  He 
was  just  beginning  to  doze  when  he  was  startled  by 
a  voice  close  by  him. 

'  Father ! ' 

'  Yes,  Mab,'  he  replied,  springing  up.  '  What's  the 
matter  ? ' 

Mab  stood  by  him,  shivering  in  a  wrap  thrown 
over  her  nightdress,  and  with  her  brown  hair  tossed 
in  the  wind. 

'  Father,  you're  not  cross  with  mother,  are  you  ?  ' 

'  No,  child.     Whatever  made  you  think  so  ?  ' 

'  I  heard  she  was  not  sleeping,  and  went  to  see  and 
found  her  crying.  She  pretended  nothing  was  the 
matter.' 

*  I  will  go  and  see,'  he  said,  and  went  inside  while 
Mab  crept  back  to  bed,  thankful  that  her  father  had 
at  last  gone  to  rest  and  that  her  vigil  was  over. 

Next  morning  the  members  of  the  little  household 
were  very  quiet  and  subdued.  Toland,  now  ashamed 
of  the  emotionalism  of  the  previous  night,  was  stern 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  243 

and  moody.  The  affection  even  that  he  had  exhibited 
towards  his  wife  seemed  in  the  light  of  day  a  betrayal 
of  weakness. 

What  right,  he  asked  himself,  had  a  man  on  the 
verge  of  shame  and  ruin  to  think  of  such  things  ? 
Henceforth  he  would  steel  himself  against  all  soften- 
ing influences  and  meet  the  buffet  of  fate  in  armour 
of  iron.  He  remembered  being  told  when  a  boy  how 
in  the  cold  North  his  forefathers  had  been  known  as 
fierce,  relentless  men,  who  went  their  own  way  in 
spite  of  blood  and  tears.  So  would  he  go  his,  un- 
trammelled and  alone.  Ruth  could  have  the  children 
to  comfort  her.  He  was  getting  on  in  years,  and  the 
time  had  passed  to  think  of  love.  With  back  to  the 
wall  he  would  fight  against  impending  ruin.  If  it 
conquered  him,  what  then  ?  When  he  thought  of  it 
the  blood  seemed  to  surge  through  his  brain  and  a 
whisper  was  there  which,  though  vague  and  inarticu- 
late, he  feared,  knowing  in  his  heart  of  hearts  that 
it  was  a  prompting  to  destroy. 

Ruth  was  sad,  for  she  felt  instinctively  her  husband's 
revulsion  of  feeling,  and  knew  that  he  had  shut  him- 
self up  in  himself  again.  She  did  not  love  him  the 
less  for  it,  but  pitied  him  and  herself  the  more.  Even 
in  his  blackest  moods  he  had  always  been  gentle  to 
her.  She  had  never  had  to  suffer  a  harsh  word, 
though  she  would  almost  have  preferred  that  to  his 
terrible  silences.  Nor  had  she  the  consolation  Toland 
supposed,  in  being  first  in  Mab's  affection,  for  she 
guessed  that  place  was  reserved  for  her  lover.  So 
the  day  wore  drearily  away,  the  routine  of  the  farm 
seeming  even  more  monotonous  than  usual,  and  all 
were  glad  when  evening  came  and  the  advent  of 
Conyngham  relieved  the  tension. 


244  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

During  supper  the  conversation  of  the  schoolmaster 
led  their  thoughts  into  impersonal  channels;  and 
under  the  spell  of  Mab's  contagious  merriment  and 
Conyngham's  good-humoured  repartee  to  her  attacks, 
even  Toland  forgot  for  a  while  his  gloomy  forebodings. 
Once,  however,  an  unfortunate  subject  was  touched 
by  Conyngham. 

'  Did  you  see  the  announcement  in  the  last  Banner^ 
he  asked,  '  of  Harlin's  intention  to  cut  up  the  estate 
into  farms  and  let  them  by  tender  ? ' 

'  No,'  replied  Toland  ;  '  but  I  heard  there  was  some 
talk  of  his  doing  it.' 

'  Yes,  I  know.  But  I  refer  to  the  paper's  announce- 
ment. It  is  very  amusing.  I  have  it  here,  and  with 
your  leave,  Mrs  Toland,  will  read  it.' 

'  Yes,  read  it,  if  it  is  amusing,  by  all  means,'  said 
Ruth. 

'  It  is  headed  in  big  type  "  A  Patriotic  Under- 
taking. Settling  the  people  on  the  land,"  and  the 
editor  goes  on  to  say, — 

' "  In  these  days  when  inability  to  procure  an  acre  of 
land  on  which  to  pursue  their  calling  is  driving  our 
farmers'  sons  into  Melbourne  factories  and  sweating 
dens,  it  will  be  learnt  with  gratification  that  it  is  the 
intention  of  Mr  T.  Harlin  to  cut  up  the  Kumbarra 
Estate  into  small  farms,  which  will  be  let  at  an 
annual  rental  to  be  fixed  by  open  competition.  The 
great  fertility  of  the  soil  assures  a  rush  of  applicants, 
and  doubtless  Mr  Harlin  will  be  well  repaid  for  his 
far-sighted  and  patriotic  endeavour  to  advance  the 
prosperity  of  the  district  by  enabling  it  to  retain 
its  rising  generation — "  and  so  on.' 

'  What  do  you  see  in  it  that  is  so  amusing  ? '  asked 
Mab  in  tones  slightly  suggestive  of  resentment. 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  245 

'  Oh,  I  m  amused  at  the  introduction  of  the  rack- 
renting  system  into  the  district  being  so  highly 
eulogised,  when,  by  the  cablegrams  in  the  same 
paper,  we  read  that  Irish  landlords  who  have  but 
done  the  same  thing  are  being  potted  by  their 
tenants  from  behind  convenient  hedgerows.  How- 
ever, perhaps  I  should  not  be  amused.  It  will  doubt- 
less be  a  good  thing  for  the  district ;  and  Harlin  will 
make  more  out  of  men  than  sheep — that  is,  if  there  is 
any  difference.' 

Toland  gave  a  grunt  and  asked  for  another  cup 
of  tea  in  tones  of  such  unnecessary  acerbity  that 
Conyngham  felt  he  had  broached  a  topic  better 
avoided,  and  turned  the  conversation. 

When  supper  was  over  Toland  asked  his  friend  to 
come  into  the  kitchen  and  have  a  smoke. 

'  I  always  feel  more  as  if  I  could  let  out  over  the 
fire  in  the  kitchen  than  in  the  sitting-room,'  he  said, 
as  he  placed  a  couple  of  chairs  in  front  of  the  hearth 
and  threw  his  coat  on  the  table. 

'  Yes  ;  it's  more  comfortable/  assented  Conyngham, 
proceeding  to  fill  his  pipe.  '  How  are  things  going  ? ' 

'  To  the  devil,'  replied  Toland,  laconically. 

'  A  very  fit  and  proper  place  on  a  cold  night  like 
this,'  commented  Conyngham,  as  he  kicked  the  logs 
together.  '  Have  you  got  all  the  crop  in  ? ' 

'Very  nearly.    I'm  not  putting  in  so  much  this  year.' 

'  How's  that  ?  ' 

'  Wheat  at  one  and  sixpence  a  bushel  in  Tongalong 
does  not  encourage  one  much,  and  the  fact  that  the 
mortgagee  will  probably  reap  the  harvest  still  less.' 

'  Surely  things  are  not  so  bad  as  all  that  ? ' 

'  My  mortgage  falls  due  in  a  month's  time,  and  un- 
less I  get  a  renewal  it  will  be  all  up  with  me.' 


246  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

1  By  Jove,  that  is  serious ! '  said  Conyngham,  now 
deeply  concerned.  '  Who  is  your  mortgagee  ?  ' 

'  I  got  the  money  from  Macnamara  in  Tonga- 
long.' 

'  A  bad  man  to  deal  with,'  commented  Conyngham. 

'  I  had  to  go  to  him.  At  the  time  I  didn't  know 
anyone  in  Melbourne,  and  I  knew  lenders  there  would 
not  look  at  a  security  so  far  from  a  railway — at  least, 
that's  what  I  was  told.' 

'  But  surely  you  can  get  the  mortgage  renewed  ? ' 

'That's  just  what  I'm  afraid  about.  When  I 
borrowed  prices  were  high  and  there  was  a  boom 
on.  Since  then  land  has  fallen  in  value.  Macnamara 
pressed  me  to  take  more  than  I  intended  at  the  time, 
and  like  a  fool  I  did,  thinking  I  could  go  in  on  a 
larger  scale.  Everything  seems  to  have  gone  to  pot 
since.  Bad  seasons,  low  prices,  rabbits,  have  kept  me 
down.  I've  had  a  terrible  struggle  to  pay  the  interest ; 
and  now  there's  something  worse  coming.' 

'It's  serious,'  said  Conyngham;  'and  I  would 
advise  you  to  go  to  Tongalong  at  once  and  see 
Macnamara  about  a  renewal.  Don't  wait  till  it's 
too  late  to  do  anything.' 

'  Yes,  I  was  thinking  of  that,  and  may  go  to-morrow. 
But,  my  God,  Conyngham  !  isn't  it  a  come  down  for 
a  man  ?  After  all  my  years  of  labour,  clearing  the 
bush  and  making  a  home,  I  may  be  ruined  and  sold 
up  and  have  to  tramp  the  road  for  work — and  be  a 
slave  till  I  die.' 

Conyngham  nodded  his  head  in  acquiescence,  not 
being  able  to  frame  a  consolatory  remark. 

'  How  we  have  all  been  fooled  ! '  continued  Toland. 
'Man  after  man  among  the  neighbours  has  been 
sold  up,  and,  except  Scott,  I  don't  believe  there  is  a 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  247 

single  one  left  of  those  who  selected  at  the  same 
time  as  myself.' 

'  And  they  came  to  the  colony  to  better  them- 
selves ! '  said  Conyngham. 

'  Yes,  to  better  themselves,'  repeated  Toland  with 
a  hoarse  laugh  as  he  got  up  and  stood  with  his  back 
to  the  fire.  '  To  be  independent  men  and  have  land 
of  their  own  to  hand  down  to  their  children.  Don't 
I  remember  the  old  gags  I  have  spouted,  and  don't  I 
see  now  the  whole  fraud  of  the  thing  ?  The  old- 
world  curse  is  on  the  new  ;  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
independence  for  the  poor.' 

'  Things  may  come  right  yet,'  said  Conyngham, 
though  he  knew  Toland  had  not  exaggerated  the 
seriousness  of  the  position. 

'  I  hope  they  will,  for,  mark  you,  Conyngham,  this 
life  of  debt  is  driving  me  mad.  When  I  look  at  my 
wife  I  think  of  her  driven  from  her  home  to  beg 
for  shelter  !  I  see  Mab  in  a  Melbourne  sweating  den  ! 
Would  to  God  such  things  did  not  happen,  but  they 
do  so  every  day.' 

'  That's  true,'  said  Conyngham,  bitterly.  '  They 
have  become  so  common  that  no  one  takes  any  par- 
ticular notice  of  them.' 

'  There  must  be  a  remedy,'  said  Toland,  pacing  the 
room  ;  '  and  if  I  were  as  strong  in  brain  as  I  am  in 
muscle  I  should  find  it  out  and  make  this  a  world 
where  there  would  be  some  other  reward  for  honest 
toil  than  starvation  and  slavery.' 

'It  would  be  a  mighty  task,  my  friend,'  said  Conyng- 
ham, humouring  him. 

'  Yes,  and  I'll  never  see  it  done.  I  thought  to  once 
when  I  left  the  old  country,  but  the  attempt  here  to 
better  things  has  all  proved  a  failure  and  a  sham.' 


248  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

1 1  don't  know  that  there  ever  was  any  real  attempt/ 
said  Conyngham,  contemplatively.  '  And  whatever 
endeavour  was  made  was  conceived  in  ignorance 
and  executed  in  fraud.  It's  the  same  the  wide  world 
over,  ever  was,  and  ever  will  be.  It  was  only  in  a 
dream  that  the  lean  kine  swallowed  the  fat.  It's 
always  the  other  way  in  reality.' 

'  And  no  one  cares — no  one  lifts  a  little  finger  to 
cause  justice  to  be  done !  '  burst  in  Toland,  his  eyes 
flashing  beneath  eyebrows  contracted  with  passion. 
'  How  I  long  for  that  which  oppresses  me  to  take 
form !  If  it  were  a  man  I'd  seize  him  in  my  arms 
and  crush  him  to  death.  I'd  throttle  him  till  the 
blood  gushed  out  between  his  teeth.  I'd  bury  my 
teeth  in  his  throat  like  a  wild  beast !  But  instead  I 
must  sit  down  and  wait,  and  hope  for  the  best,  and 
pray  like  a  pious  hag  that  I  may  not  end  my  days  as 
a  vagrant  in  gaol — for  they  haven't  even  got  a  poor- 
house  in  this  accursed  country.' 

Conyngham  looked  at  Toland  with  alarm,  for  the 
fury  of  his  outburst  deepened  a  suspicion  he  had  held 
for  some  time  that  his  friend,  from  constant  brooding 
over  his  troubles,  was  becoming  a  monomaniac. 
This  thought  troubled  him  all  the  more  because,  a 
pessimist  himself,  he  felt  disqualified  to  relieve  the 
mental  sufferings  of  another. 

'  Yes,'  he  said  after  a  slight  pause.  '  You  might 
even  come  to  be  no  better  than  a  vagrant  school- 
master.' 

The  remark  was  a  fortunate  one,  as  it  instantly 
directed  Toland's  thoughts  from  himself  to  his  com- 
panion. He  dropped  into  his  chair  with  an  exhausted 
look,  and  both  men  sat  for  a  while  gazing  into  the 
fire  in  silence,  each  wondering  where  the  current 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  249 

of  the  other's  life  would  reach  that  ocean  of 
eternity. 

Presently  Toland  rose  and  said, — 

'  I'm  not  a  pleasant  mate  nowadays.  Come  and 
have  a  game  of  crib  with  the  wife.1 


CHAPTER  V 

NEXT  morning  Toland  started  before  daybreak  for 
Tongalong,  and  in  the  afternoon  Mallock  rode  up  to 
the  cottage  at  Grimsby  Farm.  He  tied  his  horse  to 
the  fence,  and  looking  about  him  with  an  air  of  com- 
placent interest,  knocked  at  the  door  that  opened  off 
the  verandah  into  the  sitting-room.  Ruth  came  to  see 
who  was  there,  Mab  being  away  with  Joe,  who  was 
shifting  some  stock.  She  was  dumbfounded  on  recog- 
nising Mallock,  and  felt  a  tremor  run  through  her  at 
the  thought  of  a  tete-a-tete. 

'  Oh,  it's  you,  Mr  Mallock,'  she  said  hesitatingly,  as 
she  held  the  door  half  open  without  asking  him  to 
enter. 

'  Yes,  it's  me,  Mrs  Toland,  and  how  are  you  ? ' 
With  an  air  of  uneasy  familiarity  he  held  out  his 
hand  and  Ruth  touched  it  unwillingly,  thinking  how 
clammy  it  felt. 

'  Quite  well,  thank  you/  she  replied. 

'  I  want  to  talk  over  a  little  business  with  you,' 
Mallock  continued,  edging  closer  to  the  door  and 
looking  into  the  room. 

'  With  me  ?  '  said  Ruth,  in  tones  of  astonishment. 

'  Exactly  !      And  I  reckon  no  one  else  will  do.' 

'  Come  in,  then,'  she  said,  and,  going  back  into  the 
room,  she  resigned  herself  to  the  inevitable  and  sat 
down. 

Mallock  took  a  seat  facing  her,  and  with  his  hands 
on  his  knees  leant  forward  and  stared  at  her  closely. 

250 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  251 

'  Mr  Toland's  gone  to  town,'  he  said  after  a  pause. 

'  Yes.     Did  you  want  to  see  him  ? ' 

'No;  I  reckon  he's  gone  on  mighty  unpleasant 
business.' 

'  I  don't  know,'  said  Ruth,  frowning.  She  knew  the 
man  was  being  insolent,  but  felt  powerless  to  rebuff 
him. 

'  Well,  I  do,'  said  Mallock,  with  a  malicious  grin  ; 
and  if  you  like  I'll  tell  you  what  his  particular 
business  is.  He's  gone  to  try  and  get  an  extension 
of  the  mortgage,  so  he  won't  be  sold  up  and  turned 
out  of  house  and  home.' 

'  You  seem  very  well  acquainted  with  our  affairs, 
Mr  Mallock,' said  Ruth  in  a  vain  attempt  to  snub  him. 

'Well,  I  do  know  something  about  them — a  deal 
sight  more  than  your  husband  does.  And  the  funny 
thing  is  he  might  have  fixed  up  his  business  nearer 
home  than  Tongalong,  if  he  knew  where  he  was.' 

'  How  is  that  ? ' 

'  You  see,  he  wants  to  get  a  renewal  from  his 
mortgagee.' 

'  Yes.'  Fear  was  beginning  to  mingle  with  Ruth's 
indignation. 

'  Now,  Fm  his  mortgagee.' 

Ruth  gave  a  little  cry  and  turned  deadly  white. 

'  You  ! '  she  gasped.  '  No,  I  know  you're  not.  My 
husband  got  the  money  from  Mr  Macnamara.' 

'  Who  got  the  money  from  me  and  transferred  the 
mortgage  to  me,'  said  Mallock,  triumphantly.  '  You 
see  ladies  don't  understand  business.  I,  so  to  speak, 
bought  the  deed  from  Macnamara,  and  so  your 
husband  owes  the  money  to  me.  That's  why  I  was 
saying  it  was  so  funny  him  going  to  Tongalong 'when 
he  could  have  fixed  it  up  closer.' 


252  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

1  But  how  is  it  my  husband  doesn't  know  this  ? ' 
asked  Ruth,  trying  hard  not  to  believe. 

4  I  daresay  he  does  by  now.  I  told  Macnamara  he 
could  let  him  know.' 

'  Then  our  farm  is  mortgaged  to  you  ?  '  Ruth 
spoke  faintly,  slowly  realising  the  horror  of  it.  Then 
Mallock's  jarring  voice  startled  her  from  her  thoughts. 

'  It  is.  But  that's  nothing ;  we  can  fix  it  up  all 
right — never  you  fear.  It  wasn't  about  that  I  came 
to  talk  to  you.  That  slipped  out  promiscuous  like. 
What  I  wanted  to  talk  about  is  something  more 
interesting  to  a  lady.  See  here,  Mrs  Toland,  I'm  a 
rich  man.  I'm  worth  thousands  and  thousands  of 
pounds.  I  own  thousands  of  acres.  Half  the  district 
is  mortgaged  to  me.  Well,  I'm  getting  on  in  years. 
I  don't  want  to  see  it  all  slip  away,  so  I'm  thinking 
of  getting  married.' 

'Indeed?' 

'  Yes,  Mrs  Toland — and  what's  more,  I'm  thinking 
of  marrying  your  daughter  Mab.' 

'  You  can't  mean  that ! '  cried  Ruth.  It  sounded 
like  a  disgusting  joke,  and  she  flushed  angrily,  feeling 
inclined  at  once  to  laugh  and  to  cry.  Mallock  was 
too  absorbed  in  his  scheme  to  notice  her. 

'  I  just  do,'  he  went  on  placidly.  '  She'd  suit  me 
first  rate,  and  I  reckon  my  money  would  suit  her,  and 
suit  you  all.  I  tell  you  there's  lots  of  it  for  all.  Why, 
I  own  half  Tongalong.' 

'If  that's  all  you  have  come  to  see  me  about,'  said 
Ruth,  rising  with  a  quiet  dignity  but  trembling  from 
head  to  foot,  'it  is  no  use  your  staying  longer.' 

'  It  is,  though  ! '  said  Mallock,  angrily.  '  Perhaps 
you  think  I'm  too  old  ;  I  tell  you  there's  plenty  left  in 
me  yet.  My  sort  never  get  old — can't  afford  to.' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  253 

Ruth  began  to  move  towards  the  door. 

'  Perhaps  you  don't  like  the  idea  of  your  daughter 
marrying  a  man  that  keeps  a  public-house,  but  I  tell 
you  she  can  live  in  Toorak  with  the  best  of  them — or 
the  worst  of  them — for  I'm  told  they're  a  pretty  hot 
lot.  Money'll  do  anything.  Doesn't  a  draper  have 
the  Governor  to  breakfast  ?  Isn't  the  son  of  a  bullock- 
driver  one  of  the  cocks  of  the  walk?  And  can't  I  be 
the  same  ?  Why,  haven't  I  been  asked  to  put  up  for 
the  Upper  House,  and  couldn't  I  ruin  any  man  that 
opposed  me  ?  I  tell  you,  people  don't  know  what 
I've  got,  and  every  day  I  make  more — for  thrift's  the 
thing  to  get  a  man  on.' 

While  Mallock  spoke  in  a  tone  of  fierce  earnestness 
Ruth  sank  back  into  a  chair.  When  he  had  finished 
she  spoke  in  a  rather  more  kindly  tone. 

'  Don't  say  anything  more  about  it,  Mr  Mallock,' 
she  said,  'you  must  know  it  is  impossible.' 

'But  I  say  it  isn't  impossible,'  insisted  Mallock, 
striking  the  table  beside  him.  '  Nothing  has  been 
impossible  for  me.  Didn't  I  learn  to  read  and  write 
by  the  light  of  a  lantern  in  the  stable  when  I  was 
working  for  Cobb  &  Co.  ?  Didn't  I  start  with 
only  a  few  shillings,  hawking  with  a  pack  on  my 
back  ?  It's  no  use  telling  Nick  Mallock  anything 
he  wants  is  impossible  to  get.' 

'Do  you  suppose  my  husband  would  consent?' 
asked  Ruth. 

'  No,'  said  Mallock,  with  a  short  laugh,  '  but  that 
wouldn't  be  necessary.' 

'  Or  my  daughter  ? ' 

'  I  could  make  her  see  things  in  the  right  light. 
There's  nothing  like  money.  And  ain't  it  better  to 
be  wealthy  than  a  pauper  any  day  ? ' 


254  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  You  are  insulting,'  exclaimed  Ruth,  incensed  with 
herself  for  having  allowed  Mallock  to  argue  the  matter. 

'  I  beg  pardon,  I  didn't  mean  it.  I  was  thinking 
she'd  jump  at  me  when  I  told  her  of  the  nice  little 
present  I'd  give  her  on  her  wedding-day  to  do  what 
she  likes  with.  Here  it  is !  It's  the  mortgage  on  her 
father's  farm.  That  would  square  that  little  business 
nice  and  satisfactory  to  all,  now,  wouldn't  it?' 

Mallock  drew  a  deed  out  of  his  pocket  and  laid 
it  on  the  table  before  Ruth. 

'  There  it  is,  you  see.  That's  Mab's  the  day  she 
marries  me.  Now,  what's  it  to  be  ?  Will  you  stand 
by  me  or  not?' 

Ruth  got  up  from  her  chair. 

'  Mr  Mallock,  will  you  kindly  go  ?  ' 

Mallock  was  utterly  astonished,  for  his  experience 
of  women  had  been  confined  to  those  whose  favours 
were  in  the  market.  His  anger  for  the  moment  was 
kept  under  by  surprise. 

'  I  don't  want  to  offend,'  he  said.  '  It  seems  to  me 
a  straight  and  fair  way  of  doing  things.' 

'  Go ! '  said  Ruth,  pointing  to  the  door.  '  I'm  only 
sorry  that  my  husband  is  not  at  home  to  see  you 
about  the  matter —  No — I'm  glad  he's  not  for  he'd 
kill  you  if  he  knew.  Be  careful,  Mr  Mallock,  when 
he  hears  about  the  mortgage.' 

The  speech,  made  in  desperation,  was  an  unfortunate 
one.  Hatred  and  rage  flashed  in  Mallock's  eyes,  and 
he  shook  with  passion.  He  rose  hastily,  knocking 
over  his  chair. 

'  At  home  ! '  he  spluttered.  *  You're  glad  he's  not 
at  home  !  I  tell  you,  in  a  month's  time  he'll  have  no 
home.  Didn't  I  on  purpose  tell  Macnamara  to  lend 
more  on  the  place  than  it  was  worth,  so  he  wouldn't 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  255 

get  it  from  anyone  else  when  it  was  due?  He'll 
never  raise  the  money  to  pay  me  off.  He's  a  ruined 
man — he's  in  my  power.  In  a  month  he'll  be 
tramping  the  roads,  and  you  and  your  precious 
daughter  begging  a  lodging.  His  home !  Why, 
damn  it !  it's  my  home  and  he'll  have  to  come  and 
beg  on  his  knees  to  be  allowed  to  live  in  it !  Now, 
Mrs  Toland,  what  have  you  got  to  say  to  me — who's 
not  good  enough  for  your  gallivantin'  daughter  ? ' 

Ruth  tried  to  speak,  but  words  failed  her.  She  had 
swiftly  grasped  the  fact  that  the  position  was  hope- 
less, and  that  her  husband's  ruin  was  assured,  and  she 
felt  more  inclined  to  burst  into  tears  for  him  than  to 
upbraid  Mallock. 

'  Well,  I'll  leave  yer  to  think  over  it,'  he  said,  pick- 
ing up  his  hat  and  moving  towards  the  door.  '  You 
can  let  me  know  on  the  quiet  within  the  next  few 
days.  But  bear  in  mind,  Mrs  Toland,  Nick  Mallock's 
a  man  of  his  word.  Good-bye.'  He  held  out  his 
hand,  but  Ruth  did  not  see  it,  and  with  a  sneer  he 
walked  to  the  door.  His  hand  on  the  knob,  he  turned. 
'  You've  got  a  nice  little  place,  Mrs  Toland — a  very 
nice  little  place,  and  well  worth  keeping.'  Then, 
chuckling  to  himself,  he  walked  out. 

Ruth's  eyes  followed  him  till  he  disappeared. 

'  Oh,  John  ! '  she  cried,  and  sank  into  a  chair.  A 
moment  later  she  slid  down  upon  the  floor  and 
fainted  away. 

Just  at  the  time  Ruth  wailed  for  her  husband  a 
man  left  Macnamara's  office  at  Tongalong  with  his 
hands  clenched  and  his  face  convulsed  with  passion. 
A  few  minutes  later  he  galloped  out  of  the  town  on  a 
powerful  horse  that  plunged  along  with  a  fresh,  free 
stride.  A  mile  on  and  the  township  was  no  longer 


258  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

made  men  to  whom  the  disciples  of  the  doctrine  of 
thrift  pointed  as  a  shining  example  of  what  a  man  who 
chose  to  work  could  accomplish  in  the  colony.  He 
was  one  of  the  sturdy  pioneers  who  had  changed  a 
shilling  into  a  fortune,  certainly  not  the  man  to  whom 
a  pauper  would  refuse  his  daughter.  Mallock  found 
his  reverie  .most  entertaining.  The  world  looked  well 
for  him.  He  had  just  had  a  heavy  meal.  His  beard 
was  reminiscent  of  the  fried  chops  he  had  eaten,  and, 
blinking  like  a  gorged  beast,  he  chuckled  every  now 
and  again  as  he  thought  of  his  latest  venture.  His 
thought  even  became  too  entertaining  and  jocular  to 
be  silenced. 

'  By  God  !  I  wish  I  had  her  sitting  by  me  now ! 
I  wouldn't  want  no  fire  to  keep  me  warm.' 

As  he  spoke  he  started. 

'  Hullo  !     There's  someone  on  the  road.' 

He  listened  a  moment.  The  far-off  hoof-beats  of  a 
galloping  horse  could  be  heard.  Mallock  felt  annoyed 
at  his  amorous  reveries  being  interrupted  by  a  traveller. 
He  went  into  the  bar  and,  leaning  over  the  counter, 
listened  again.  Yes,  he  had  not  been  mistaken  ;  there 
was  a  horseman  on  the  road.  Who  would  be  re- 
turning by  night  ?  he  wondered.  He  had  seen  no 
one  ride  down.  Then  a  recollection  flashed  across 
his  mind — '  John  Toland  ! '  But  if  so,  why  was  he 
returning  now,  and  making  a  two  days'  journey  into 
one  ?  Had  his  interview  with  Macnamara  anything 
to  do  with  it  ?  Then  Mrs  Toland's  warning  occurred 
to  him,  and  at  the  same  time  he  heard  the  hoof-beats 
draw  nearer.  Beads  of  perspiration  broke  out  on 
his  forehead.  He  determined  at  least  to  be  prepared, 
for  there  was  no  man  on  the  place,  and  his  only  servant 
was  in  the  detached  kitchen.  Opening  a  drawer  in 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  259 

the  bar  counter  he  took  out  a  life-preserver,  which 
he  slipped  on  to  his  right  hand,  so  that  a  narrow  band 
of  iron,  padded  beneath,  lay  across  his  knuckles.  He 
was  afraid  of  no  man  now.  Then  he  listened  again. 
The  hoof- beats  were  close  at  hand,  and  he  scarcely  had 
time  to  mop  his  forehead  when  the  rider  pulled  up  at 
the  door.  A  moment  later  heavy  footsteps  sounded 
on  the  verandah,  and  Toland  reeled  into  the  bar.  He 
stopped  in  the  centre  of  the  floor  and  stared  at 
Mallock,  with  murder  and  madness  in  his  gleaming 
eyes.  For  an  instant  the  two  men  glared  at  one 
another  in  silence  which  Toland  was  the  first  to 
break. 

'  You  dog,  I've  got  you  now ! '  he  hissed  between 
his  teeth. 

'  Clear  out  of  this,  you  drunken  fool ! '  retorted 
Mallock. 

'  I'm  not  drunk — I  know  what  I'm  about.  I've 
come  to  kill  you.' 

'  Oh,  you  have  ? '  sneered  Mallock,  adjusting  the 
iron  bar  below  the  counter.  '  Start  away  and  do  it 
now — the  sooner  you're  hanged  the  better.' 

Without  a  word  Toland  sprang  upon  the  counter, 
but  before  he  could  get  over,  and  as  he  knelt  upon 
it,  Mallock  struck  him  a  fierce  blow  between  the  eyes. 
With  a  terrible  cry,  half  roar,  half  moan,  Toland  threw 
up  his  arms  and  crashed  down  upon  the  floor.  As  he 
lay  huddled  up  and  motionless  Mallock  ran  round 
and  pulled  him  over  on  his  back  to  see  the  result  of 
his  blow.  There  was  a  great  gash  on  the  forehead, 
from  which  blood  was  trickling  over  his  face  and  dis- 
appearing in  his  beard.  To  all  appearances  he  was 
dead. 

'  By  Heaven,  it  looks  as  if  I  had  done  the  killing ! ' 


258  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

made  men  to  whom  the  disciples  of  the  doctrine  of 
thrift  pointed  as  a  shining  example  of  what  a  man  who 
chose  to  work  could  accomplish  in  the  colony.  He 
was  one  of  the  sturdy  pioneers  who  had  changed  a 
shilling  into  a  fortune,  certainly  not  the  man  to  whom 
a  pauper  would  refuse  his  daughter.  Mallock  found 
his  reverie  most  entertaining.  The  world  looked  well 
for  him.  He  had  just  had  a  heavy  meal.  His  beard 
was  reminiscent  of  the  fried  chops  he  had  eaten,  and, 
blinking  like  a  gorged  beast,  he  chuckled  every  now 
and  again  as  he  thought  of  his  latest  venture.  His 
thought  even  became  too  entertaining  and  jocular  to 
be  silenced. 

'  By  God  !  I  wish  I  had  her  sitting  by  me  now  ! 
I  wouldn't  want  no  fire  to  keep  me  warm.' 

As  he  spoke  he  started. 

'  Hullo  !     There's  someone  on  the  road.' 

He  listened  a  moment.  The  far-off  hoof-beats  of  a 
galloping  horse  could  be  heard.  Mallock  felt  annoyed 
at  his  amorous  reveries  being  interrupted  by  a  traveller. 
He  went  into  the  bar  and,  leaning  over  the  counter, 
listened  again.  Yes,  he  had  not  been  mistaken  ;  there 
was  a  horseman  on  the  road.  Who  would  be  re- 
turning by  night?  he  wondered.  He  had  seen  no 
one  ride  down.  Then  a  recollection  flashed  across 
his  mind — '  John  Toland  ! '  But  if  so,  why  was  he 
returning  now,  and  making  a  two  days'  journey  into 
one?  Had  his  interview  with  Macnamara  anything 
to  do  with  it  ?  Then  Mrs  Toland's  warning  occurred 
to  him,  and  at  the  same  time  he  heard  the  hoof-beats 
draw  nearer.  Beads  of  perspiration  broke  out  on 
his  forehead.  He  determined  at  least  to  be  prepared, 
for  there  was  no  man  on  the  place,  and  his  only  servant 
was  in  the  detached  kitchen.  Opening  a  drawer  in 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  25g 

the  bar  counter  he  took  out  a  life-preserver  which 
he  slipped  on  to  his  right  hand,  so  that  a  narrow  band 
of  iron,  padded  beneath,  lay  across  his  knuckles.  He 
was  afraid  of  no  man  now.  Then  he  listened  again. 
The  hoof-beats  were  close  at  hand,  and  he  scarcely  had 
time  to  mop  his  forehead  when  the  rider  pulled  up  at 
the  door.  A  moment  later  heavy  footsteps  sounded 
on  the  verandah,  and  Toland  reeled  into  the  bar.  He 
stopped  in  the  centre  of  the  floor  and  stared  at 
Mallock,  with  murder  and  madness  in  his  gleaming 
eyes.  For  an  instant  the  two  men  glared  at  one 
another  in  silence  which  Toland  was  the  first  to 
break. 

'  You  dog,  I've  got  you  now ! '  he  hissed  between 
his  teeth. 

'Clear  out  of  this,  you  drunken  fool!'  retorted 
Mallock. 

'  I'm  not  drunk — I  know  what  I'm  about.  I've 
come  to  kill  you.' 

'Oh,  you  have?'  sneered  Mallock,  adjusting  the 
iron  bar  below  the  counter.  '  Start  away  and  do  it 
now — the  sooner  you're  hanged  the  better.' 

Without  a  word  Toland  sprang  upon  the  counter, 
but  before  he  could  get  over,  and  as  he  knelt  upon 
it,  Mallock  struck  him  a  fierce  blow  between  the  eyes. 
With  a  terrible  cry,  half  roar,  half  moan,  Toland  threw 
up  his  arms  and  crashed  down  upon  the  floor.  As  he 
lay  huddled  up  and  motionless  Mallock  ran  round 
and  pulled  him  over  on  his  back  to  see  the  result  of 
his  blow.  There  was  a  great  gash  on  the  forehead, 
from  which  blood  was  trickling  over  his  face  and  dis- 
appearing in  his  beard.  To  all  appearances  he  was 
dead. 

'  By  Heaven,  it  looks  as  if  I  had  done  the  killing ! ' 


260  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

muttered  Mallock,  as  he  slipped  his  hand  beneath 
Toland's  coat  to  see  if  the  heart  still  beat.  He  felt  it 
faintly,  and  dashed  the  contents  of  the  water  jug  over 
his  victim's  head.  Then,  fearing  someone  might  come 
upon  the  scene,  he  half  dragged  and  half  carried 
Toland  through  the  bar-parlour  into  a  small  room 
opening  from  it,  where  he  laid  him  on  a  sofa  and 
poured  some  more  water  over  him.  Presently  Toland 
showed  signs  of  returning  consciousness.  His  limbs 
moved  and  he  moaned  heavily.  Mallock  began  to 
fear  that  he  would  come  round  and  resume  the  attack, 
for  he  knew  the  nature  of  the  man.  Then  it  occurred 
to  him  to  treat  Toland  as  he  had  treated  many  a 
drunkard  whose  violence  he  feared.  He  hurried  into 
the  bar  and  brought  back  a  glass  containing  a  power- 
ful dose  of  laudanum  which  he  poured  down  Toland's 
throat.  Then  he  waited  and  watched.  But  there  was 
no  longer  cause  to  fear,  for  the  limbs  ceased  to  move 
and  John  Toland  slept  the  sleep  of  the  drugged. 

'  He'll  be  all  right  till  morning,  anyhow/  muttered 
Mallock  as  he  left  .the  room  and  locked  the  door 
behind  him  lest  his  prisoner  should  be  discovered. 
Then  he  put  out  the  lights  and  went  to  bed,  though, 
as  it  proved,  not  to  sleep.  Having  a  drugged  man  on 
the  premises  was  nothing  so  unusual  as  to  be  a  cause 
of  sleeplessness,  but  what  kept  Nicholas  Mallock 
awake  and  tossing  on  his  bed  through  the  night  was 
the  weaving  of  a  web  wherein  to  entrap  Mabel 
Toland. 


CHAPTER    VI 

AT  breakfast,  the  morning  after  Toland's  departure 
for  Tongalong,  Mab  announced  her  intention  of 
riding  to  meet  him. 

'  I  told  him  I  might  when  he  left,'  she  said ;  '  and 
I  think  poor  old  dad  would  like  it.' 

'You  had  better  not  go  further  than  the  gap, 
then,'  said  her  mother.  She  hated  the  idea  of  Mabel 
even  passing  the  '  Morning  Star.'  Mallock's  visit  she 
had  not  mentioned  to  her  children,  fearing  their 
questions  as  to  its  object. 

'  Very  well,'  replied  Mab,  cheerfully.  '  I'm  long- 
ing to  hear  dad's  news.  Joe,  you've  finished  your 
breakfast.  Do  go  and  get  the  cob,  like  a  good  boy.' 

'  All  right,  but  he's  sure  to  be  looking  over  the 
fence  in  the  furthest  corner/  grumbled  Joe,  good- 
naturedly.  '  What  a  nuisance  sisters  are  ! ' 

'Well,  you  get  the  cob,  and  I'll  ride  away  and 
leave  you  in  peace.' 

An  hour  later  Mab  was  gaily  cantering  along 
the  road,  singing  snatches  of  song,  and  thoroughly 
enjoying  the  bright  sunshine  and  keen,  frosty  air. 
It  had  been  a  practice  of  hers  from  childhood  to 
ride  and  meet  her  father  on  his  return  from 
occasional  visits  to  Tongalong,  and  she  felt  more 
than  ever  desirous  not  to  neglect  any  little  act  that 
might  gratify  him.  His  lot,  she  knew,  had  become 
hard  to  bear,  and  she  longed  to  be  able  to  cheer 

261 


262  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

him  when  he  fell  into  his  gloomy  moods.  She 
idolised  her  father,  believed  he  could  do  no  wrong, 
and  wished  she  were  a  man  to  help  him  out  of 
his  difficulties.  Then  she  thought  of  Rupert, 
and  sighed  to  think  how  unsatisfactory  was  the 
condition  of  their  love  affair.  But  Rupert  and  she 
could  wait  for  one  another,  she  decided,  and  after 
all,  it  was  necessary  for  many  people's  sake  that 
they  should  be  separated  for  a  time.  So,  singing, 
and  dreaming  and  thinking  by  turn,  Mab  soon 
found  herself  at  the  foot  of  the  gap.  As  there  was 
no  sign  of  her  father,  she  dismounted  and  found  a 
comfortable  seat  for  herself.  An  hour  passed,  and 
as  he  still  did  not  appear  she  grew  impatient,  and 
determined  to  ride  along  the  road  till  she  met  him. 
She  struggled  up  the  steep  incline  on  foot  to  ease 
her  horse,  and  stopped  half  way  to  get  her  breath 
and  indulge  in  an  old  amusement  of  her  childhood, 
of  throwing  stones  off  the  causeway  to  see  them 
strike  and  rebound  fifty  feet  below.  She  remounted 
on  the  top  of  the  slope,  and  a  few  minutes  later 
cantered  past  the  '  Morning  Star.' 

Mallock  saw  her  ride  by  from  the  bar,  and  went 
out  on  to  the  verandah  to  watch  the  retreating  figure. 
He  guessed  her  purpose,  for  he  had  frequently  seen 
Mab  ride  to  meet  her  father;  and  he  chuckled  to 
himself  as  he  thought  how  fruitless  was  her  errand, 
and  how  accident  was  assisting  designs  he  had 
formed.  He  knew  she  would  soon  return  alone,  and 
his  brain  ran  riot  with  hot  imaginings,  part  products 
of  the  waking  dreams  of  the  night  before.  In  order 
to  steady  his  nerves  and  help  him  to  decide  on  a 
course  of  action,  he  tossed  off  a  nobbier  of  brandy. 
Then  he  went  to  have  a  look  at  Toland,  to  whom 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  263 

he  had  given  another  dose  that  morning.  He  found 
him  seemingly  unconscious,  but  in  order  to  make 
sure,  he  shook  him  and  called  him  loudly  by  name. 
There  was  no  response,  and,  fully  satisfied,  he  returned 
to  the  verandah  to  wait  for  Mab.  As  time  went 
by,  Mallock  grew  more  and  more  impatient,  and 
began  pacing  up  and  down.  Now  and  again  he 
laughed  to  himself  as  he  thought  how  fortune  was 
ever  on  his  side.  He  had  said  he  would  succeed, 
and  here  was  success  coming  to  him  almost  un- 
sought He  wished  the  girl  would  come  quickly,  as, 
between  excitement  and  brandy,  he  was  feeling 
shaky.  Soon  he  saw  Mab  returning,  and  as  she 
drew  near,  he  went  out  into  the  road  and  signalled 
her  to  stop. 

'  Good-day,  Miss  Mab  !  I  thought  you  might  be 
looking  for  your  father,'  he  said,  putting  his  hand  on 
her  horse's  neck. 

Mab  looked  down  with  disgust  at  the  blear-eyed 
face  turned  up  to  hers. 

'  I  was  going  to  meet  him,  but  he  must  have  been 
detained,'  she  replied  curtly. 

'  Well,  then,  he  hasn't,'  replied  Mallock. 

'  How  do  you  know  ? '  said  Mab,  in  surprise. 

'  I  happen  to  know  because  at  this  moment  he's 
over  in  the  hotel.' 

Mab  looked  astonished. 

c  If  he  is,'  she  said, '  kindly  tell  him  I  am  here.' 

'  It  wouldn't  be  no  good,  Miss  Mab,'  said  Mallock 
with  a  shake  of  the  head. 

'  What — he  isn't  dead  ! '  cried  Mab,  conjuring  up 
horrible  visions  of  accident. 

'  Yes,'  replied  Mallock,  laconically.     '  Dead  drunk  ! ' 

'  It's  untrue  !     A  horrible  lie.' 


264  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'If you'll  step  inside  I'll  show  him  to  you.  You 
needn't  believe  me.  It  don't  matter  to  me.' 

'  I  wouldn't  go  on  any  account.  I  know  it's  not 
true.' 

'  Then  you'd  better  go  home  and  get  Joe  to  come 
down  for  him,  before  I  have  to  hand  him  over  to 
the  police.  Good-day.' 

Mallock  moved  away.  Mab  rode  on  a  step  or  two, 
then  pulled  up  and  turned  round. 

'  Mr  Mallock,'  she  said  simply,  '  I'll  see  if  it  is 
true  for  my  father's  sake.' 

She  sprang  off  her  horse  before  Mallock  could 
touch  her  and  followed  him  into  the  bar-parlour. 
Toland  lay  in  the  next  room  ;  and  in  the  wall 
between  the  two  there  was  a  trap-door,  used  for 
passing  glasses  from  one  room  to  the  other.  Mallock 
went  to  the  trap-door  and  drew  it  on  one  side. 

'  Come  here  and  see  for  yourself,'  he  said,  turning 
to  Mab  with  a  sinister  smile. 

Mab  looked  through  and  gave  a  cry  of  horror,  for 
there  was  her  father,  stretched  apparently  lifeless  on 
his  back,  blood  stains  alone  relieving  the  ghastly 
pallor  of  his  face. 

'  What  is  the  matter  with  him  ? '  She  cried  in 
anguish,  '  Father !  father ! ' 

Toland  did  not  stir.  Mallock,  breathing  heavily, 
watched  her  and  said  nothing. 

'  Let  me  go  to  him  at  once,'  she  demanded  im- 
periously. '  Ah,  there  is  the  door ! '  She  ran  to  it.  It 
was  locked.  '  Open  the  door  this  instant ! '  she  cried. 

'  Not  yet,  Miss  Mab.  You  don't  believe  your 
father's  here,  do  you  ? ' 

'  Unlock  it — at  once,  I  say,  or  I'll  get  someone 
to  make  you.' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  265 

Mallock  smiled  sardonically,  and  Mab  rushed  to  the 
door  by  which  they  had  entered.  It  too  was  locked. 

She  turned  on  Mallock,  quivering  with  wrath. 

'  What  do  you  mean  by  locking  me  in  here  ?  Let 
me  out  at  once.' 

'Not  yet.' 

'  Then  I'll  scream  for  help.' 

'  There's  only  a  woman  on  the  place — and  she's 
not  within  call.' 

Mab  was  beside  herself  and  rapidly  becoming 
hysterical. 

'  What  does  it  mean  ? '  she  moaned,  dropping  into 
a  chair.  'My  father!  What  is  the  matter  with 
him  ?  Is  he  dead  ? J 

'  It  means  this,  Miss  Mab,'  said  Mallock,  drawing 
closer.  'In  the  first  place  you  needn't  be  afraid  about 
yer  dad.  I  can  bring  him  round  right  enough  for 
you.  He's  only  a  bit  off  his  head  over  this  mortgage 
business.' 

'  Why  don't  you  let  me  go  to  him,  though  ? ' 
said  Mab,  with  a  measure  of  relief  at  hearing  that 
at  least  her  father  was  alive. 

Mallock  did  not  answer  immediately,  but  took  a 
chair  opposite  Mab,  who  leant  with  her  head  between 
her  hands  and  her  elbows  on  the  table,  striving 
to  stifle  a  fit  of  sobbing. 

'  Because  I  want  to  explain  matters  a  bit  first,' 
he  said.  '  You  see  it's  all  this  mortgage  business  has 
upset  your  dad.  I'm  real  sorry  I  should  be  the  cause. 
But  you  see  money  lent  must  be  returned.' 

'What  do  you  mean?  What  have  you  to  do 
with  it?' 

'  Don't  you  know  ?  I'm  his  mortgagee.  He  owes 
the  money  to  me.' 


266  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

1  To  you  ! '  cried  Mab,  incredulously. 

'  Yes ;  he  got  my  money  through  Macnamara. 
Here's  the  mortgage  deed,  you  see.'  Mallock  placed 
the  deed  on  the  table. 

'  Poor  old  father ! '  cried  Mab,  jumping  up  and 
running  to  the  aperture.  '  I  don't  wonder  now.  Mr 
Mallock,  you  must  open  that  door ;  I  won't  wait  any 
longer.' 

'  No,  no,  not  yet.  I  have  a  little  proposal  to  make 
first.  See  here — this  business  is  killing  your  dad. 
What  I  say  is  this.  Marry  me,  and  take  the 
mortgage.' 

Mallock  stepped  forward,  and  Mab  recoiled  in 
horror. 

'  Marry  you ! ' 

'  Yes,  that's  it — and  save  your  father.  I  love  you 
too — by  Heaven  I  do.' 

'  I'd  die  first.' 

'  Won't  you  think  over  it  a  moment  ?  Wouldn't  I 
suit  you,  Mab  ? '  he  said  with  a  semi-drunken  leer. 

'  It's  revolting,'  she  gasped.  Disgust  almost  choked 
her  utterance. 

'  You're  so  much  better  than  I  am,  are  you,  my  fine 
lady?' 

'Open  the  door!  open  the  door!'  cried  Mab, 
frantically. 

A  malevolent  smile  played  on  Mallock's  flushed 
features. 

'  And  how  shall  I  tame  my  little  bird  if  I  let  her 
out  of  the  cage  ? '  he  asked  brutally. 

Mab  ran  to  the  trap-door  again. 

'Father,  help  me!  Wake!  wake!'  she  called 
piteously. 

Mallock  laughed,  amused  at  her  helplessness. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  267 

'  It's  no  use,  little  one.  Nick  Mallock's  the  only 
man  to  help  you.  By  G— d,  I  must  have  you,  my 
beauty.' 

He  seized  her  hand.  She  jerked  it  away  and 
screamed.  Mallock  laughed  again. 

'  Don't  cry,  my  pet.  I  only  wanted  a  kiss.  Look 
here,  Mab,  I'll  give  you  this  mortgage  for  a  kiss.'  He 
held  the  deed  out,  his  hand  shaking  violently. 

Mab  made  no  reply,  but  stood  spellbound,  trembl- 
ing with  fear  and  repulsion. 

'  Then  I  must  have  it  for  nothing.' 

He  ran  towards  her  and  caught  her  by  the  waist. 
There  was  a  shrill  cry  quickly  stifled. 

'  Keep  quiet ! '  he  hissed.  '  You'll  be  glad  enough 
to  marry  me  yet.  Let  go,  you  vixen  !' 

Mab,  for  a  moment,  held  him  back,  but  she  quickly 
felt  her  strength  relax  and  his  thick  lips  draw  closer 
to  hers.  His  spirit-reeking  breath  beat  hot  on  her 
face. 

'  Father,  help  me ! '  she  shrieked  for  the  last  time. 
An  awful  fear  came  to  her.  She  could  struggle  no 
more.  Then  the  room  swam  round.  It  came  crash- 
ing down  with  the  sound  of  splintering  timber.  She 
heard  a  hoarse  voice.  The  sound  of  a  fall  and  a 
heavy  groan.  With  a  start  she  returned  to  full 
consciousness,  and  saw  Mallock  stretched  on  the 
floor,  and  her  father,  with  his  knee  on  his  chest  and 
his  hand  on  his  throat,  strangling  him  to  death 
despite  his  struggles.  Mab  gave  a  cry  of  joy,  which 
was  quickly  succeeded  by  one  of  horror,  as  she 
realised  that  murder  was  being  done  before  her  eyes. 
She  threw  herself  on  her  knees  beside  Toland  and 
tried  to  loosen  his  grasp. 

'  Let  go,  father,  dear !     You're  murdering  him  ! '  she 


268  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

cried.  But  Toland  was  unconscious  of  everything 
around,  unconscious  even  of  what  he  was  doing.  His 
face  was  set ;  his  muscles  were  rigid ;  his  eyes  stared 
vacantly  at  the  floor.  Mallock  was  being  done  to 
death  by  the  hands  of  an  automaton.  Mab,  finding 
her  efforts  useless,  rushed  to  the  door  to  summon 
help.  It  was  locked.  She  rushed  back  for  the  key 
and  found  it  on  the  floor  by  Mallock's  side.  Then 
she  ran,  crying  for  help,  through  the  bar  into  the 
verandah,  and  almost  into  Conyngham's  arms. 

'  Good  heavens,  Mab !     What's  the  matter? ' 

'Come  quick  or  you'll  be  too  late.  He's  killing 
him  ! '  she  gasped. 

They  rushed  back  together  into  the  room,  and  not 
a  moment  too  soon,  for  blood  and  foam  were  oozing 
from  Mallock's  lips,  and  he  had  almost  ceased  to 
struggle. 

'  Let  go,  Toland,'  said  Conyngham,  authoritatively, 
as  he  seized  his  wrists. 

Toland's  grasp  immediately  relaxed.  His  head 
fell  forward  on  his  chest,  and  if  Mab  had  not  caught 
him  he  would  have  fallen  on  the  floor. 

Mallock  lay  for  a  moment  gasping  for  breath,  then 
he  struggled  to  his  feet,  and,  moaning  horribly, 
staggered  out  of  the  room.  At  the  same  time 
Toland  drifted  back  into  complete  unconsciousness 
under  the  returning  influence  of  the  drug ;  and,  being 
placed  on  the  sofa  by  Conyngham  and  Mab,  lay 
there  inert  and  motionless. 


CHAPTER   VII 

'  ASLEEP  at  last,'  said  Conyngham,  entering  the 
parlour  and  gently  closing  the  door  of  Toland's  sick- 
room behind  him.  '  He  is  sure  to  recover  now.'  He 
glanced  with  an  expression  of  solicitude  at  Ruth's 
weary,  sorrow-worn  face,  for  the  moment  lit  up  by  a 
great  thankfulness.  'But  why  are  you  not  lying 
down  as  you  promised,  Mrs  Toland  ?  We  shall  have 
you  ill  yourself,  and  that  will  not  do.' 

She  smiled  gratefully  and  sank  into  the  chair  he 
placed  for  her. 

'  I  couldn't,'  she  said.  '  I  tried,  but  I  couldn't  sleep. 
I  was  afraid  to  hear  him  struggling  again  with  you 
and  Joe.' 

'  That  is  all  over,'  he  replied  confidently.  '  And 
now  you  really  must  remember  that  it's  selfish  not  to 
think  of  yourself  a  little — for  your  husband's  sake, 
you  know.' 

Ruth  looked  indeed  in  need  of  care,  and  the  smile 
faded  from  Conyngham's  face  as  he  noticed  the  dark 
lines  under  her  unnaturally  bright  eyes,  and  the  fra- 
gility of  the  figure  emphasised  by  her  black  dress, 
which  also  made  the  pale  face  look  paler. 

'  Then  how  you  must  need  rest ! '  she  said.  '  You 
have  not  left  him  for  two  days— two  days ! '  she  went 
on  musingly.  '  It  seems  like  as  many  years  since  you 
brought  him  back  to  me.' 

'  Don't  think  of  them,'  said  Conyngham,  soothingly. 
269 


270  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  They  are  over  now,  and  when  he  wakes  I  am  sure 
he  will  be  himself  again.' 

Ruth  stared  at  him  anxiously,  hanging  with  hope 
and  dread  on  every  word. 

'  Yes,'  he  continued,  standing  with  his  arms  resting 
on  a  chair-back  before  her ;  '  I  feel  certain  of  that. 
But  he  will  be  very  weak — and  his  mind  a  blank 
probably  since  the  time  of  his  accident.  I  think  I 
would  just  tell  him — about  the  fall  from  his  horse, 
you  know — and  how  he  was  carried  to  the  "  Morning 
Star,"  when  Mabel  and  I  found  him  and  brought  him 
home.' 

Looking  into  Ruth's  trusting  face  Conyngham 
could  scarcely  bring  himself  to  deceive  her,  but  he 
knew  that  falsehood  was  merciful,  and  the  truth 
would  be  infinitely  cruel.  It  was  his  most  fervent 
hope  that  Toland  would  indeed  remember  nothing. 

'  Don't  let  his  mind  dwell  on  past  events  more  than 
can  be  helped  till  he  is  strong.  And  now,  Mrs 
Toland,  I  should  only  be  in  the  way,  and  I  am  going 
to  say  good-bye.' 

Ruth  sprang  impulsively  to  her  feet;  and,  disre- 
garding the  hand  he  held  out  to  her,  laid  her  fingers 
on  his  arm.  '  Oh,  you  must  not  go  yet ! '  she  cried. 
'  Wait  at  least  till  he  wakes  and  can  thank  you.' 

'  I  need  no  thanks — and  if  I  did  I  should  value 
them  at  least  as  much  from  you.' 

4  Well,  you  have  them — true  friend,'  she  said 
tremulously,  placing  her  hand  in  his. 

A  flush  passed  over  Conyngham's  sallow  face,  and 
he  checked  an  impulse  to  raise  her  fingers  to  his  lips. 

Then  there  was  a  faint  sound  of  movement  from 
the  next  room,  and,  forgetting  Conyngham,  Ruth 
tip-toed  swiftly  towards  it. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  ajl 

'  Wait !  I  thought  I  heard  him  stir,'  she  whispered 
with  her  ear  against  the  panel ;  and  then,  opening 
the  door,  passed  into  the  other  room. 

Joe  was  sitting  there  with  his  head  between  his 
hands,  gazing  into  the  fire,  utterly  tired  out.  During 
the  time  of  Toland's  delirium  Conyngham  had  in- 
sisted that  the  women  were  better  away  and  that  he 
and  Joe  would  make  the  most  efficient  nurses. 

Ruth  went  to  the  bed  and  leant  over  her  husband. 
He  still  slept  peacefully.  The  morose  look  had  left 
his  face,  and  she  was  reminded  of  the  John  Toland  of 
other  and  happier  days.  Tears  filled  her  eyes  as  she 
thought  of  him  waking  to  the  cares  he  had  for  a  time 
forgotten,  and  she  bent  and  kissed  him  gently.  Then 
she  left  the  room  again  to  say  good-bye  to  Conyng- 
ham but  found  that  he  had  gone. 

On  the  way  to  the  stable  for  his  horse,  Conyngham 
met  Mab,  who,  being  unable  to  sleep  or  rest,  had 
spent  the  last  two  days  wandering  about  a  prey  to 
almost  unendurable  misery.  No  one  knew  what  she 
had  gone  through  in  the  parlour  of  the  '  Morning  Star,' 
and  she  had  to  support  alone  the  nightmare  of 
shame  and  horror.  She  wished  to  die,  to  blot  out 
the  thought  of  her  humiliation  and  end  the  agony  of 
her  morbid  grief.  She  felt  desecrated  in  mind  and 
body  by  Mallock's  brutal  embrace,  and  could  scarcely 
refrain  from  tearing  the  flesh  where  his  arms  had 
wound  round  her.  In  the  turmoil  of  hysteria  she 
found  herself  almost  wishing  that  her  father  had 
killed  Mallock,  and  that  he  himself  would  never 
regain  consciousness.  It  was  hard  enough  to  endure 
alone,  but  she  could  not  bear  it  at  all,  she  felt,  if 
another  soul  should  know.  If  her  father  remembered 
from  what  he  had  rescued  her,  she  knew  that  he 


272  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

would  kill  Mallock  with  his  returning  strength,  and 
then  the  world  would  have  the  whole  sordid  story. 

Conyngham  startled  her  from  a  reverie  with  his 
cheery  salute. 

'Well,  Mab,'  he  said,  'don't  be  so  doleful.  I 
have  good  news  for  you.  Your  father  has  fallen 
asleep  and  we  believe  that  he  will  wake  all  right.' 

Mab  was  silent  a  moment,  struggling  with  con- 
flicting feelings. 

'  It's  a  dreadful  thing  to  say,'  she  ventured  hesitat- 
ingly, 'but  I  feel  glad  chiefly  for  mother's  sake.  I 
believe  it  would  have  been  happier  for  him  if  he  had 
died,  or  lost  his  reason.' 

'  And  for  you,  miss  ? ' 

'  Oh,  I — '  Mab  stammered  and  hung  her  head, 
suddenly  aware  how  little  of  her  real  thought  she 
could  explain  to  Conyngham. 

He  regarded  her  meditatively.  'That's  a  very 
gloomy  way  of  looking  at  it,'  he  said.  '  Life  and 
sanity  are  generally  regarded  as  essentials  of  a  happy 
existence.' 

'  And  money  to  pay  debts,'  added  Mab,  hurriedly, 
glad  to  have  the  discussion  shifted  on  to  a  more 
impersonal  basis. 

'Yes,  that  is  true.  But  I  think  you  worry  too 
much  over  that  aspect.  I've  never  cultivated  a 
hopeful  turn  of  mind  myself,  but  I  don't  think  you 
should  be  quite  so  ready  to  consign  your  father  to  a 
nice  quiet  grave,  or  to  a  strait  waistcoat  in  a 
lunatic  asylum,  merely  because  of  a  deficiency  of 
cash.  I  don't  wish  to  appear  unsympathetic,  but  I 
think  you  will  all  have  to  pull  yourselves  together.' 

'  I  know  you  are  right,'  said  Mab,  with  something 
approaching  a  smile,  as  she  realised  how  cold-blooded 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  2?3 

her  hastily-voiced  avowal  must  have  sounded.  '  But 
nobody  nowadays  expects  to  be  happy—and  it's 
sometimes  so  consoling  to  be  miserable.' 

Conyngham  looked  at  the  spirited  face,  half  turned 
from  him,  as  she  plucked  a  chrysanthemum  to 
pieces  and  gazed  with  an  expression  he  could  not 
read  at  the  hills.  Mabel  did  not  look  like  a  creature 
to  surrender,  without  a  struggle,  the  bright  things  of 
life. 

'  That  is  a  paradox  I  am  afraid  I  have  not  time  to 
stay  and  unravel,'  he  said  at  length,  smiling. 

Mabel  turned  quickly  towards  him.  '  Why,  you're 
not  going  to  leave  us,  are  you  ? '  she  exclaimed.  '  It 
will  be  worse  when  we  are  left  to  ourselves.' 

'I'm  not  wanted  any  more.  Your  father  will  be 
himself  when  he  wakes,  and  then  your  mother  will 
be  his  best  nurse.  If  by  any  chance  I  should  be 
wanted,  send  for  me,  and  I  will  come  at  once.' 

'  I  know  you  will.     You've  been  very  good  to  us.' 

Her  eyes  spoke  all  the  thanks  her  voice  could  not 
utter,  and  Conyngham  smilingly  wondered  at  the 
strength  of  the  narrow  browned  hand  that  clasped  his 
as  he  said  good-bye. 

She  went  restlessly  back  to  the  house,  and  Conyng- 
ham started  on  his  lonely  ride,  musing  upon  the 
irony  of  fate  that  made  him  a  consoler  of  the  un- 
fortunate. 

The  remainder  of  the  day  passed  wearily,  Joe  going 
to  rest  and  Mabel  sitting,  in  the  intervals  of  necessary 
and  welcome  tasks,  with  her  mother,  who  never  left 
the  sick-room. 

Late  that  night,  when  Ruth  was  watching  by  his 
side  alone  Toland,  woke. 

'Is  that  you,  little  wife?'  he  murmured  dreamily. 
S 


274  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  Yes,  dear,'  she  replied,  with  a  great  throb  of  joy 
that  the  delirium  had  gone. 

'  What's  the  time  ? ' 

'  After  twelve  o'clock.' 

'Why  are  you  not  in  bed,  then?'  he  asked 
wonderingly. 

'  I  have  been  watching  you,  dear.'  She  affection- 
ately smoothed  back  the  hair  from  his  bandaged 
forehead  and  touched  his  face  with  her  lips. 

Toland  turned  with  an  effort  to  her.  '  Has  any- 
thing been  the  matter  with  me?'  he  asked.  'I  feel 
very  strange.' 

'  You  have  not  been  well,'  replied  Ruth,  hesitat- 
ingly, dreading  what  was  to  come. 

'  Tell  me  what  has  happened  ?  It  makes  my  head 
ache  trying  to  think.' 

'Don't  worry  over  it  now,  dear.  Try  to  go  to 
sleep  again.' 

'No,  I  don't  want  to  sleep/  he  said,  with  more 
decision.  '  Have  I  had  an  accident  ? ' 

'Yes,  dear,  you  had  a  fall  from  your  horse.  Mr 
Conyngham  found  you  and  brought  you  home.' 

'  I  don't  remember  anything  about  it.  Where  had 
I  been  riding  ? ' 

1  Don't  ask  all  these  questions  now,  dearest.  It  is 
not  good  for  you.  Do  wait  till  the  morning,'  she  en- 
treated, feverishly  wanting  to  gain  time  and  dreading 
the  cross-examination  so  merciless  to  himself  and  her. 

'  I  can't,'  he  said  fretfully.  '  I  might  sleep  if  I 
knew  all  about  it.  Everything  seems  a  blank,  and 
it  makes  my  brain  ache  puzzling  it  out.  Where  had 
I  been  riding,  Ruth  ? ' 

There  was  a  demand  not  to  be  gainsaid  in  his 
voice,  weak  as  it  was,  and  Ruth  trembled,  feeling 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  275 

herself  on  the  brink  of  a  precipice.    'To  Tongalong,' 
she  said  faintly. 

'  To  Tongalong  ?     What  did  I  go  there  for  ? ' 

'I — I— I  don't  know.  That  is— I  think  on  busi- 
ness. Oh,  John,  my  darling  husband,  do  go  to  sleep 
again  ! '  she  cried  piteously. 

He  stared  for  a  moment  with  knitted  brows  into 
her  agonised  face ;  and,  clasping  both  her  hands  in 
his,  he  raised  himself  against  the  pillows. 

'  On  business !  What  business  ? '  He  pressed  one 
hand  to  his  forehead.  '  Yes — let  me  think — I  begin 
to  remember — oh,  my  God !  The  mortgage ! ' 

He  fell  back  again  and  closed  his  eyes,  scarcely 
conscious  that  Ruth  was  bending  over  him. 

'  Don't  think  of  it  now.  I  beg  you  not  to ! '  she 
whispered  imploringly,  laying  her  head  against  his 
on  the  pillow.  '  You  have  been  ill,  but  you  are  going 
to  get  well  again,  and  I  am  here  beside  you.  Only 
think  of  that  to-night.' 

Toland  seemed  not  to  hear  her.  Weak  from  long 
delirium,  his  mind  was  feebly  feeling  its  way  through 
the  darkness. 

'I  remember  seeing  Macnamara,  but  nothing 
after.  Did  I  have  the  fall  on  my  way  back?'  he 
muttered  presently. 

'  Yes,  dear.  You  fell  on  your  forehead  and  were 
stunned.' 

For  a  while  he  lay  in  silence,  and  Ruth  did  not  stir, 
praying  fervently  that  he  was  dropping  off  to  sleep 
again.  Suddenly  he  clenched  his  hands  and  Ruth 
caught  his  wrists  in  dread. 

'  I  remember  now  ! '  he  moaned  hoarsely.  '  I'm  in 
the  power  of  Nicholas  Mallock ! ' 

Then  he  raised  himself  on  his  elbows  and  stared 


276  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

about  him,  fiercely  at  first,  and  then  with  a  look  of 
dull  despair.  Ruth  feared  that  he  was  going  to 
throw  himself  from  the  bed. 

'  Lie  down  again,  dearest,  if  you  love  me ! '  she  cried 
as  she  flung  her  arms  round  his  neck  and  pressed 
him  gently  back.  Toland  sank  again  on  the  pillow, 
and  with  a  deep  groan  turned  his  face  to  the  wall 
and  lay  in  silence.  Ruth  stood  a  minute  leaning 
over  him  ;  and  then,  as  he  did  not  stir,  gently  with- 
drew her  arm  from  beneath  his  neck  ;  and,  taking  a 
chair  by  the  bedside,  sat  with  her  head  bowed  down 
on  the  counterpane,  sobbing  as  if  her  heart  would 
break. 

Soon  Mab  stole  noiselessly  into  the  room  ;  and 
Ruth,  feeling  a  sympathetic  touch  on  her  shoulder, 
looked  up  and  checked  her  crying. 

Mab's  eyes  were  sparkling  with  terrified  curiosity. 

'  Is  he  awake  ? '  she  whispered. 

'  Yes,  dear  ;  at  least  he  was.' 

'  And  better  ? ' 

'  Yes  !  quite  himself  again.' 

Trembling  all  over,  Mabel  looked  at  the  silent 
figure  by  the  wall.  Then  she  turned  to  her  mother. 

'  Does  he  remember  anything  ? '  she  asked  with 
an  effort,  in  a  voice  she  scarcely  recognised  as  her 
own. 

'  Nothing  after  leaving  the  lawyer's  office  in 
Tongalong.' 

The  room  swam  before  Mab.  The  tension  had  gone, 
and  she  could  scarcely  see  the  couch  by  the  window 
to  which  she  falteringly  made  her  way.  She  sank 
upon  it,  hiding  her  face  a  moment  in  the  curtain  folds. 
'  Thank  God  !  Thank  God  ! '  she  sighed  beneath 
her  breath,  realising  the  immensity  of  the  dread  that 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  277 

had  loomed  before  her  for  the  last  two  days.  Now 
it  was  gone  she  understood  more  clearly  the  less 
selfish  grief  that  weighed  her  mother  down,  and  saw 
with  a  pang  of  conscience  how  pale  and  wan  she  had 
become. 

'Oh,  mother  dear!'  she  said,  going  over  and 
kissing  her  fondly,  'you  look  so  tired.  You  must 
go  to  bed  and  let  me  stay  with  father  now.' 

Mrs  Toland  was  touched  by  Mab's  strangely 
softened  mood.  She  would  not  go  to  bed,  however 
but  insisted  that  Mab  should  do  so.  No  one  need 
sit  up,  she  said,  as  she  was  no  longer  anxious,  but 
she  would  lie  down  on  the  couch,  where  she  would  be 
at  hand  if  the  invalid  should  need  anything.  So  Mab 
stayed  for  a  little  with  her  mother,  and  then  went  to 
her  room,  thankful  that  her  own  cup  of  bitterness  had 
not  been  filled  quite  to  overflowing. 

Toland  woke  in  the  morning,  clear-minded,  but 
very  weak ;  and,  though  gradually  regaining  strength, 
he  remained  nevertheless  utterly  broken  in  spirit. 
The  violent,  wrathful  moods  had  gone,  but  in  their 
place  a  gloom  that  never  lifted  settled  upon  him. 
He  wandered  about,  scarcely  ever  attempting  to  help 
Joe  with  the  work  through  the  day,  while  at  night  he 
sat  for  hours  gazing  into  the  fire.  No  memory  of  his 
ride  and  after  events  returned.  The  story  of  his 
accident  he  accepted  without  question,  and  he  never 
alluded  to  his  trip  to  Tongalong ;  but  as  soon  as  he 
had  sufficiently  recovered  to  attend  to  business,  he 
wrote,  at  Conyngham's  suggestion,  to  the  Tongalong 
agent  of  Messrs  Owen  &  Smith,  a  Melbourne  firm 
that  did  a  large  money-lending  business  in  farming 
districts.  In  reply  to  his  request  for  an  advance,  the 
firm's  valuer  came  to  inspect,  with  the  result  that  an 


278  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

offer  of  ,£700  was  made — .£300  short  of  the  amount 
required  to  pay  off  the  mortgage.  After  that  Toland 
seemed  to  entirely  abandon  hope,  and,  with  folded 
arms,  to  wait  the  falling  of  his  doom. 

But  not  so  Ruth.  Distressed  by  her  husband's 
silent  apathy  more  than  by  the  stormy  resentfulness 
which  it  succeeded,  she  did  not  give  way  to  despair, 
but  summoned  all  her  latent  energy  to  fight  against 
disaster.  She  recognised  that  her  husband's  mind 
was  unhinged  and  incapable  of  warding  off  the  fate 
that  day  by  day  drew  nearer  ;  so  she  felt  that  hers 
must  be  the  active  part  in  the  struggle  to  prevent 
their  home  going  from  them.  She  wrote,  herself,  to 
Macnamara,  and  to  other  money-lenders,  without 
result ;  and  then  as  scheme  after  scheme  fell  through, 
she  determined  to  apply  to  Scott.  She  knew  he  had 
some  money  saved,  and  if  he  could  be  prevailed  upon 
to  lend  it  to  her  husband,  with  the  amount  offered  by 
Owen  &  Smith,  there  would  be  enough  to  pay  off 
Mallock  and  avert  the  sale. 

Scott  hummed  and  ha'ed  a  good  deal  when  she 
went  to  him,  but  his  regard  for  Ruth,  and  sense  of 
family  ties,  stronger  than  his  friendship  for  Toland, 
which  was  more  the  creature  of  circumstance  than 
sympathy,  finally  drew  from  him  a  guarded  promise 
to  see  what  he  could  do.  Ruth  offered  good  interest 
on  his  money,  and  the  season  promising  splendidly 
made  it  almost  certain  that  she  could  pay  it,  and  with 
any  luck,  soon  return  a  portion  of  the  principal  as 
well. 

Accordingly,  he  promised  Ruth  that  he  would  go 
that  afternoon  to  see  Mallock  and  warn  him  to  take 
no  other  steps  since  the  mortgage  money  would  be 
paid.  There  and  then  he  called  Jimmy  to  finish  the 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  2  79 

last  land  which  he  was  ploughing,  and  returned  to 
the  house  with  his  sister-in-law,  who  forgave  him  the 
advice  and  homilies  with  which  he  entertained  her 
for  the  genuine  kindness  prompting  his  action.  Her 
heart  was  too  full  to  say  much  in  thanks,  but  if  Scott 
was  at  first  disappointed,  he  was  finally  overwhelmed, 
and  tempted  for  one  mad  moment  to  say  something 
about  foregoing  interest  on  the  loan. 

There  had  been  silence  for  a  moment  when  they 
reached  the  gate,  and  Scott  looked  down  at  her  sad, 
gentle  face  with  a  sudden  flow  of  compassion. 

'  We'll  get  him  out  of  this  mess,  never  fear,  Ruth. 
And  don't  you  worry  any  more.  I'm  real  glad  you 
came  to  me,'  he  said.  '  Mallock  knows  me,  and  I'll 
make  it  right  straight  away.' 

Ruth  looked  at  him,  and,  overcome  all  at  once  by 
the  kindly  concern  in  expression  and  tone,  she  smiled 
with  her  eyes  full  of  tears. 

'  Thank  you,  George,'  she  said.  '  As  much  almost 
for  your  sympathy  as  your  help.'  She  held  out  her 
hand,  which  was  swallowed  up  in  his.  '  I  am  almost 
tempted  to  kiss  you,'  she  said,  with  a  half-hysterical 
little  laugh.  'That  would  express  all  the  thanks  I 
can't  say.  I  think  Heaven  will  reward  you  for  this.' 

Scott  drew  back  nervously,  reddening  with  surprise, 
pleasure  and  a  sense  of  shocked  propriety.  It  was 
then  that  he  felt  tempted  to  refuse  interest  on  the 
loan,  but  Heaven  does  not  offer  seven  per  cent,  so 
calmer  counsels  prevailed,  and  he  contented  him- 
self by  muttering  something  incoherent  and  escaping 
to  '  clean '  himself  for  his  journey.  Ruth  went  into 
the  house,  where  she  had  left  Mabel  and  Bess,  who 
looked  curiously  at  her,  but  asked  no  questions,  for 
beyond  the  fact  that  she  had  gone  to  speak  to  Scott 


28o  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

on  business,  and  as  her  face  showed  that  it  had  been 
satisfactory,  neither  of  them  knew  anything. 

Scott  soon  reached  Mallock's  hotel  and  found 
Mallock  in  the  bar,  leaning  lazily  over  the  counter, 
picking  his  teeth  appreciatively  as  he  glanced  at 
the  day's  paper  spread  before  him. 

'  Good-day,  Mr  Scott.  Crops  lookin'  well  ? '  he  said, 
with  interrogative  vagueness.  It  was  not  mail  day 
and  he  was  puzzled  as  to  what  brought  his  visitor. 

Scott  quickly  let  him  know,  with  a  mixed  feeling 
of  importance  and  self-reproach  for  his  fatuous  act 
of  brotherly  charity;  and  Mallock,  still  leaning  on 
the  counter,  listened  attentively  with  a  scowl  on  his 
face  at  the  first  mention  of  Toland's  name,  which 
gave  place  to  a  pleased  leer  as  Scott  unfolded  his 
scheme. 

'  This  here  business,  it  strikes  me,  wants  a  bit  of 
private  discussion,  Mr  Scott,'  he  said  affably.  '  If 
you  would  be  so  kind  as  to  step  this  way — '  He 
lifted  a  hinged  board  in  the  bar  counter  and  led 
the  way  into  the  parlour. 

'  Take  a  seat,  sir,'  he  said,  when  he  had  closed  the 
door,  politely  handing  a  chair  to  Scott,  who  took  it, 
a  little  overcome  and  yet  gratified  by  the  publican's 
deference,  '  and  excuse  me  for  one  minute.' 

Scott  watched  him  in  silence  fumble  in  a  safe 
among  a  bundle  of  papers,  from  which  he  presently 
selected  one  and  scrutinised  it  with  knitted  brows. 

'  Ah  !  That's  what  we  want,'  he  exclaimed  cheer- 
fully, seating  himself  at  the  table  with  the  paper  under 
his  hand.  '  Now,  Mr  Scott,  I  understand  you  want 
me  to  hold  things  off  a  bit  in  Toland's  little  affair, 
seein'  that  you  can  give  him  what  he's  short  to  make 
up  what's  owing  to  me  ? ' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  281 

'  Yes,'  said  Scott,  airily.  '  It's  just  a  matter  of  three 
hundred  pounds,  which  I  can  make  up — with  a  squeeze, 
you  know — with  a  squeeze/  he  added  in  deprecation. 

'Well,  you're  a  blamed  fortunit'  man,'  drawled 
Mallock,  with  a  grim  smile ;  '  and  I  congratulate 
you,  Mr  Scott,  on  being  able  to  put  your  fingers  on 
such  a  sum — squeeze  or  no.'  He  checked  some  dis- 
claimer from  Scott  and  went  on  :  '  I  congratulate  you 
on  your  good  fortune  and  your  charitable  heart — 
more'n  on  your  good  judgment — for  I  say  it  straight 
—  no  offence  to  you  —  that  same  Mr  Toland's  a 
bloody  dangerous  rascal  I'd  like  to  see  out  of  decent 
society.' 

'  He's  my  relative,  you  know,'  protested  Scott, 
reddening.  '  It's  a  duty,  you  know,  and  I  don't  want 
to  hear — ' 

'  Of  course  you  don't !  And  I'm — not — blamin' — 
you,'  said  Mallock,  with  slow,  indulgent  emphasis. 
'  Blood's  thicker  than  water,  they  say,  and  if  you 
want  to  stump  out  three  hundred  pounds  on  his 
account — why,  I've  nothing  to  say.  But  first  of  all, 
what  about  settling  your  little  business  with  me?' 
He  lifted  the  paper  from  the  table  and  looked  from 
beneath  his  beetling  brows  at  Scott. 

Scott  changed  colour,  and  rising  from  the  chair 
approached  the  table. 

'  What  ?  What  business  do  you  mean  ? '  he  asked 
nervously. 

Mallock  rose  too,  looked  at  his  bewildered  face 
for  a  second,  showing  all  his  yellow  teeth  in  a  grin 
of  admiration,  shook  his  head,  and  clapped  Scott  on 
the  shoulder. 

'  By  God,  Scott,  you're  a  deep  'un  and  no  mistake ! ' 
he  said  with  a  chuckle.  '  Sit  down  here  and  tell  me 


282  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

if  you  know  that  'ere  signature.'  He  pushed  the 
unresisting  Scott  into  a  chair  and  spread  the  paper 
before  him,  jamming  his  thumb  down  on  it  beside 
the  queerly-scrawled  '  George  Scott,'  which  the  writer 
nevertheless  recognised  as  his  performance. 

'  What — what  is  this  ? '  he  gasped  faintly. 

'  A  transfer  of  your  land  to  me  for  twenty-five 
pounds  cash,  bearing  date,  November  iQth,  1863 — 
the  day  it  became  yours,  and  that  others  that  did 
their  dealin's  with  Mr  Harlin  only  got  ten  pound 
each  for  lots  as  good — but  I  liked  the  looks  o'  you 
and  was  a  bit  generous.' 

'  I — I  swear  before  God  I  never  signed  any  such 
thing  ! '  cried  Scott,  in  amazement,  staring  blankly  at 
the  tell-tale  document. 

'  Now,  what's  the  good  of  you  sittin'  there  perjurin' 
yourself  like  a  blasted  infidel,  with  your  signature 
staring  you  in  the  face  ? '  asked  Mallock,  persuasively, 
with  his  hand  on  Scott's  shoulder.  Then,  as  Scott 
gave  no  answer  but  a  groan,  he  leaned  over  and 
picked  up  the  transfer.  '  A  joke's  a  joke,  Mr  Scott,' 
he  said  sternly ;  '  but  I  tell  you  I  don't  like  it  carried 
too  far.  Why,  you  might  take  it  into  your  funny 
head  to  tear  up  this  little  paper  here.1 

'  I  must  have  been  drunk,'  said  Scott,  feebly. 

'That's  your  business,'  rejoined  Mallock,  coldly. 
'  As  far's  I  remember  you  were  sober  enough  when 
you  signed,  but  did  get  mighty  drunk  afterwards 
with  my  money,  and  broke  up  my  home  considerable. 
I'd  have  sued  you  for  the  damage,  only  the  dummies 
burnt  your  little  smash  with  the  rest  of  the  place 
about  my  ears.  Ask  your  friend  Toland  if  he  didn't 
have  to  carry  you  home.' 

Mallock  left  this  view  of  the  ballot  night  to  sink 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  283 

into  Scott's  bewildered  brain,  and  presently  began 
in  a  more  friendly  tone.  Of  course  he  would  take 
the  three  hundred  pounds  on  Toland's  behalf,  he  said, 
but  he  thought  maybe  if  Scott  had  ideas  of  fighting 
an  action  he  had  better  keep  it  himself.  He  gave 
Scott  a  full  and  fanciful  account  of  the  circumstances 
leading  up  to  the  transaction.  He  had  not  cared  to 
press  for  rent  while  the  pioneering  work  was  going 
on.  In  fact  he  had  often  thought  of  selling  out  for 
a  mere  trifle  to  Scott.  Now,  he  admitted,  the  fact 
that  he  had  slept  upon  his  rights  so  long — which  he 
had  done  out  of  mere  good-heartedness  and  regard 
for  Scott — might  give  the  latter  a  kind  of  dog's  show 
in  fighting  an  action  if  he  should  be  so  unscrupulous 
as  to  make  one  necessary.  But  that,  he  said,  would 
cost  a  lot  of  money — hurt  them  both,  and  merely 
gorge  the  lawyers.  To  show  his  good  faith,  and  that 
he  really  had  a  friendly  eye  for  a  good  farmer  and  a 
thrifty  man,  he  would  propose  a  compromise. 

Scott  dismally  pricked  up  his  ears  and  found 
spirit  enough  to  ask  what  it  was. 

That  he  should  give  Mallock  a  hundred  pounds — 
draw  a  cheque  for  it  there  and  then — and  that  there 
and  then  Mallock  should  tear  up  the  transfer  and  say 
no  more  about  it. 

Mallock  watched  his  visitor  with  stealthy  amuse- 
ment. He  had  long  ago  given  up  all  hope  of  doing 
anything  great  with  the  forged  transfer,  as  involving 
too  much  risk  for  a  man  in  his  position,  but  still  he 
had  kept  it  by  him  for  possible  use  in  emergencies ; 
and  suddenly,  on  Scott's  arrival,  the  brilliant  idea 
had  struck  him  of  using  it  as  a  lever  to  move  Scott 
from  his  charitable  intent,  and  perhaps  to  squeeze 
something  out  of  him  as  well. 


284  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Scott  had  been  dazed  at  first,  but  his  misery  became 
less  acute  as  he  realised  that,  at  the  worst,  the  disaster 
was  not  illimitable,  and  with  his  memory  courage 
returned,  making  him  hope  for  entire  escape. 

'Well,  what's  it  to  be,  Mr  Scott?  Shell  out  or 
fight?'  Mallock  asked  at  length,  lovingly  fingering 
the  transfer  as  Scott  remained  silent  '  I  reckon  you'll 
find  this  bit  of  paper  cheap  at  a  hundred.' 

For  a  moment  the  little  man  became  only  a  red- 
faced,  spluttering  mass  of  indignation.  He  jumped 
up  and  made  as  if  to  snatch  the  document  from 
Mallock,  who  put  it  into  his  pocket  and  pushed  him 
gently  aside. 

'  Now  don't  you  get  fightin'  me,  Mr  Scott,'  he  said 
suavely, '  or  the  missis  will  be  saying  you  don't  look 
pretty.' 

'  I'll  not  give  you  a  penny.  And  you'll  find  your- 
self in  gaol  before  long,  Mr  Mallock,  if  you  press  this 
infamous  claim,'  he  blustered.  '  Oh,  I  know  all  about 
it !  I  have  a  better  memory  than  you  think.  I  had 
to  sign  a  paper  for  Mr  Archer,  hadn't  I  ?  I  wasn't 
hocussed,  was  I  ?  Oh,  I  remember ! ' 

Mallock  lay  back  in  his  chair  and  laughed. 

'  Well,  I  tell  you  straight  no  one'd  ha'  thought,  to 
look  at  you  that  night,  that  you'd  remember  much. 
You  didn't  appear  like  rememberin'  anything  when 
you  was  dancin'  and  singin'  with  those  girls  of  mine, 
and  makin'  a  damned  noosance  of  yourself  with  my 
money.  Let's  hear  what  you  do  remember  and 
what  gives  you  the  notion  of  putting  me  in  gaol.' 

Scott  was  somewhat  taken  aback  by  the  levity  with 
which  Mallock  received  his  threats.  Visions  of  such 
scandalous  tales  of  his  behaviour  reaching  Bess's  ears 
rendered  him  almost  speechless.  However,  he  detailed 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  285 

with  indignation,  but  less  confidence,  his  recollection 
of  events  at  the  shanty,  and  Mallock  listened  quite 
pleasantly. 

'  Urn,'  he  said,  lighting  a  cigar,  '  a  very  pretty  little 
tale !  I'll  tell  mine  in  court,  and  you'll  tell  yours. 
The  judge  will  decide — and  us  and  the  lawyers  will 
have  a  nice  pleasant  trip  to  Melbourne  together — at 
our  expense.'  He  rose  as  if  to  end  the  conversation. 

'  But  I  have  witnesses.  I  tell  you  you  can't  take 
my  land,'  exclaimed  Scott,  excited  and  frightened. 

'  Now,  look  here,'  said  Mallock,  with  a  scowl  darken- 
ing his  face.  '  I  don't  want  to  argue  this  matter 
except  in  court.  You  have  your  friend  Toland,  I 
know — he'll  swear  anything.  But  s'pose  —  I  say, 
s'pose — your  tale  should  be  true?  You  know  Nick 
Mallock's  a  fighter.  And  do  you  think  you'll  get 
much  help  from  the  evidence  of  a  man  that's  three 
parts  mad  and  tried  to  murder  me?' 

'  I  can't  consent  to  pay  you  any  money,'  said 
Scott,  weakening. 

'That  was  my  friendly  suggestion.  I'd  have  lost 
money  on  it,  and  I  don't  press  it.  Now,  we'll  leave 
your  affair  to  the  proper  time.  What  about  this 
mortgage  of  Toland's?  Are  you  going  to  square 
it  up?' 

Scott  pondered  a  moment.  Ruth's  face  rose  up 
before  him.  Her  tearful  thanks  echoed  in  his  ears. 
But  he  might  be  engaged  in  a  costly  suit  to  keep  his 
own  home.  He  had  his  children  to  think  of— and 
the  voice  of  prudence  was  the  louder. 

'  I— I  don't  see  my  way,'  he  said  glumly.  '  With 
this  action  hanging  over  me  I  don't  see  as  I  can  do 
more  in  that  matter— in  justice  to  my  family,  you 
know.' 


286  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'That's  a  sensible  view  to  take.  You're  a  real 
man,  Mr  Scott,  that  don't  shirk  his  responsibilities, 
and  a  rare  plucked  one.  If  we  fight,  we  fight  fair 
and  friendly.' 

The  friendliness  of  the  combat  seemed,  from  Scott's 
face,  to  afford  him  poor  consolation,  and  with  a  search- 
ing glance  Mallock  added, — 

'  And  I  tell  you  this  straight.  That  action  has 
hung  a  goodish  bit  now,  and,  so  long  as  you  don't 
meddle  in  affairs  that  don't  concern  you,  it  might 
hang  a  blamed  long  while  yet.  Have  a  drink?' 

Scott  gave  a  feeble  refusal. 

'  Nonsense,  man !  It'll  do  you  good.'  Mallock 
leaned  his  hand  affectionately  on  Scott's  shoulder, 
and  led  him  to  the  bar  again,  where  he  succeeded 
in  swallowing  a  glass  of  brandy  that  nearly  choked 
him. 

'  Here's  you  health,  Mr  Scott !  This  quite  reminds 
me  of  old  times,'  said  Mallock,  raising  his  glass. 
'  And  remember,'  he  added  significantly,  '  while  you 
shut  your  mouth  like  an  oyster — and  your  purse  too 
— Nick  Mallock's  your  friend,  and  me  and  you  ain't 
likely  to  quarrel.' 

Scott  thanked  him  incoherently  and  left  the 
shanty,  scarcely  knowing  how  he  would  face  Ruth, 
and  wondering  at  the  strange  means  Heaven  had 
chosen  to  reward  him  for  his  new-born  desire  to 
help  lame  dogs  over  stiles. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

THE  time  of  Rupert  Harlin's  exile  passed  with  irk- 
some slowness,  whether  spent  in  hard  work  on  the 
station  or  in  unsuccessful  attempts  at  gaiety  in  Sydney, 
whither  he  often  restlessly  wandered.  In  his  mother's 
letters  the  hope  was  constantly  expressed  that  his 
father  would  eventually  consent  to  the  marriage  with 
Mabel.  Only  in  the  meantime,  she  said,  he  must  do 
nothing  to  widen  the  breach,  and  she  begged  him  to 
stay  a  little  longer  and  possess  his  soul  in  patience 
until  she  should  advise  him  that  it  was  wise  to 
return.  In  any  event,  she  hoped  that  he  would  not, 
except  in  case  of  absolute  necessity,  withdraw  his 
money  from  the  station,  as  it  would  be  a  great  strain 
on  his  father's  resources  to  find  the  cash  at  the 
present  time.  She  had  managed  to  pay  into  his 
account  a  thousand  pounds  from  money  of  her  own, 
and  could  let  him  have  another  thousand  shortly, 
which  he  might  treat  as  a  loan  until  the  difference 
with  his  father  should  be  ended  or  a  definite  rupture 
come,  when  he  would  either  not  need  the  money  or 
have  means  of  his  own  to  repay  it. 

The  position  was  very  trying  for  Rupert,  and  only 
love  for  his  mother,  and  the  affection  which,  in  spite 
of  everything,  he  felt  for  his  father  induced  him  to 
suffer  it  in  the  hope  of  eventual  reconciliation. 

Toland  and  Mrs  Toland  were  still  in  ignorance  of 
the  engagement.  From  Mabel,  Rupert  had  received 

287 


288  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

only  one  letter  assuring  him  of  her  affectionate  hope 
that  everything  would  come  right,  but  stating  in 
emphatic  terms  that  nothing  must  be  said  to  her 
parents  till  things  were  definitely  settled  with  Mr 
Harlin.  She  had  kept  the  secret  from  her  mother, 
not  wishing  to  worry  her,  and  had  spoken  to  Mrs 
Harlin,  who  agreed  that  one  family  complication  was 
enough  to  have  on  their  hands  at  a  time. 

So  matters  stood  when  Rupert,  arriving  in  Sydney 
one  morning,  found  two  letters,  several  days  old, 
waiting  for  him  at  his  hotel.  One  was  from  his 
mother,  and  his  spirits  fell  as  he  glanced  over  it. 
Things  had  been  going  well,  he  read.  Mr  Harlin, 
mollified  by  his  conduct,  was  becoming  more  re- 
conciled to  the  idea  of  the  marriage,  when,  looking 
through  the  paper,  he  had  seen  a  notice  that  in  a 
month's  time  Toland's  farm  would  be  offered  by  the 
mortgagee  for  sale.  This,  coupled  with  a  report  he 
had  heard  of  some  discreditable  fracas  at  Mallock's 
hotel  in  which  Toland  was  involved,  had  re-awakened 
all  his  prejudice  and  antagonism,  and  Mrs  Harlin 
could  now  hold  out  very  little  hope  of  ever  obtaining 
his  consent ;  and — the  letter  concluded  significantly — 
he  was  not  at  present  in  a  state  to  consider  the  matter 
reasonably  at  all.  She  did  not  know  what  to  say. 
Apparently  the  only  choice  lay  between  defying  his 
father  or  giving  up  all  hope  of  marrying  Mabel,  at 
least  for  a  long  time  to  come.  That  was  a  matter 
on  which  he  must  consult  his  own  heart  and 
conscience. 

Thinking  to  himself  that  a  decision  would  not  be 
difficult,  Rupert  tore  open  the  second  letter,  which 
he  found  to  his  surprise  contained  some  advice. 
It  was  from  Conyngham.  Rupert  had  vaguely 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  289 

thought  the  handwriting  familiar  without  recognising 
it  as  he  looked  at  the  address. 

Like  Mrs  Harlin's  the  letter  contained  news  of  the 
forced  sale  of  Toland's  farm.  Now,  it  went  on  to 
state,  things  were  in  a  very  bad  way  at  Grimsby 
Farm.  Toland's  troubles  and  his  hostility  to  Mallock 
weighed  so  much  upon  his  mind  that  Conyngham 
feared  he  was  practically  a  monomaniac.  Not  even 
his  wife  and  daughter  could  rouse  him  from  his 
moody  hopelessness.  Mrs  Toland  was  miserable, 
Mabel's  nerves  completely  unstrung  by  the  fight 
between  Mallock  and  her  father  which  she  had 
witnessed.  Joe  had  left  the  farm  and  gone  to  the 
west.  His  father  called  it  desertion,  and  spoke  with 
unmeasured  anger  of  Joe,  but  Conyngham  thought 
the  lad  right,  as  he  had  obtained  the  offer  of  work 
which  would  enable  him  to  send  at  least  a  pound 
a  week,  and  perhaps  more,  to  his  parents.  However, 
it  was  of  Mabel  he  had  most  to  say  to  Rupert ;  she 
would  not  write  herself,  but  she  was  quite  broken 
down  and  pining  to  see  him.  It  was  eminently  no 
business  of  his,  Conyngham  admitted,  but  he  had 
learned  from  Mabel  how  matters  stood  between 
Rupert  and  herself,  he  could  see  that  she  was  fretting 
her  heart  out,  and,  while  it  did  not  seem  that  things 
could  be  made  worse,  they  might  possibly  be  im- 
proved by  his  immediate  return  to  Kumbarra. 
Therefore,  with  surprise  at  his  officiousness,  and  a 
full  recognition  that  it  was  quite  as  likely  as  not  the 
most  mischievous  advice  in  the  world,  he  advised 
Rupert  to  come  home  and  see  Mabel  without 
delay. 

After  his  mother's  letter  Rupert  scarcely  needed 
such  a  spur  to  action,  but  it  increased  his  impatience 

T 


29o     .  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

to    get    away,    and     that    evening     he     took    the 
Melbourne  express  from  Sydney. 

It  was  noon  of  the  following  day  when  he  left 
the  train  at  Tongalong  and,  avoiding  such  acquaint- 
ances as  he  met  on  the  platform,  he  hurried  to  the 
livery  stables,  where  he  procured  a  buggy  and  good 
pair  of  horses  and  was  soon  clear  of  the  township. 

The  roads  were  heavy  and  slushy  with  winter 
rains,  but  Rupert  rattled  his  horses  along,  finding  a 
soothing  music  in  the  plashing  of  the  hoofs.  He 
passed  the  Kumbarra  entrance-gate,  just  catching 
a  glimpse  of  the  white-painted  roof  glistening  in 
the  sun  among  the  distant  trees.  Long  strips  of 
rich  soil  were  turned  over  in  the  old  sheep  paddocks 
by  ploughmen  whom  Harlin's  new  policy  of  sub- 
division had  brought  on  to  the  land.  Rupert 
wondered  vaguely  if  it  would  ever  be  his,  with  Mabel 
installed  as  mistress  in  the  station  homestead.  He 
did  not  believe  in  his  heart  that,  however  his  father 
might  rage  and  bluster,  his  anger  would  survive 
many  years  or  carry  him  to  such  lengths  as  willing 
the  property  away  from  his  only  son.  Excited  and 
eager  for  action,  Rupert  could  not  concentrate  his 
thought  on  any  detailed  plan.  He  only  knew  that 
he  was  going  to  have  it  out  with  Toland,  and  claim 
his  right  to  Mabel,  in  spite  of  parents  on  either  side, 
leaving  circumstances  to  decide  what  he  should  do 
or  say. 

Near  the  gate  of  Toland's  farm  the  plough  stood 
at  the  end  of  an  unfinished  land.  Trace  chains  and 
swingle  bars  lay  on  the  ground  before  it,  but  gather- 
ing rust  on  the  mould  boards  showed  that  it  had  not 
been  used  for  days.  There  was  a  melancholy  sugges- 
tion of  hopelessness  in  the  idle  plough  and  the  grain 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  291 

bags  still  lying  at  intervals  where  the  jays  were 
feasting  on  a  patch,  sowed  but  not  harrowed,  further 
from  the  road.  Toland's  spirits  must  be  low  indeed 
to  suffer  such  things,  Rupert  reflected,  as  he  drove 
through  the  paddock  towards  the  house.  There  a 
like  air  of  neglect  and  desertion  enveloped  every- 
thing. All  the  yard  gates  swung  open ;  there 
seemed  no  one  about  the  place ;  not  even  a  barking 
dog  greeted  his  arrival  as  he  splashed  in  through 
the  mud  and  pulled  his  horses  up  at  the  stable  door. 
Flinging  the  traces  over  their  backs  he  put  the  pair 
into  empty  stalls  and,  with  a  nervous  presentiment 
of  evil,  made  his  way  towards  the  house.  Entering 
the  garden  unnoticed,  he  walked  on  to  the  verandah, 
wondering  if  the  house  was  quite  deserted,  and 
knocked  at  the  sitting-room  door.  He  heard  some- 
one stirring  within ;  the  door  opened  and  Mabel 
stood  before  him.  She  had  been  crying  and  she 
had  been  asleep;  her  hair  was  in  disorder  rare  for 
her.  Marks  of  tears  and  of  the  chair  on  which  her 
head  had  rested  lined  her  cheeks,  her  old  grey 
dress  was  worn  and  shabby.  Blinking  from  the 
glare  of  the  setting  sun  in  her  eyes,  she  stared  in 
astonishment  at  Rupert.  To  him  she  seemed  as 
beautiful  as  ever.  Feeling  the  glow  of  a  knight- 
errant's  pride,  he  knew  that  he  had  never  loved  her 
so  much  as  now  when  he  stood  there  to  relieve 
her  distress.  Forgetting  all  caution,  he  caught  her 
in  his  arms  and  kissed  her  again  and  again,  while 
she  felt  too  much  the  joy  of  having  someone  to  love 
and  care  for  her  to  do  anything  at  first  but  passively 
and  happily  submit. 

Soon,  however,  it  occurred  to  her  to  ask  how  and 
why  he  had  made  this  mysterious  appearance,  and 


292  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

leading  him  into  the  sitting-room  she  gave  him 
a  chair,  choosing  another  for  herself  at  safe  con- 
versational distance.  Rupert  told  her  as  clearly  as 
he  could  of  the  letters  he  had  received  and  his 
instant  departure  from  Sydney,  concluding  by  ask- 
ing where  he  should  find  Mr  Toland. 

'Then  you  did  not  know  I  was  alone?'  she 
said. 

'  Alone  ?  No,  I  had  no  idea  of  it.  I  came  to  tell 
your  father  that  he  must  give  his  consent  to  our 
marriage — and  also  to  ask  him  if  he  would  allow 
me  instead  of  Mallock  to  be  his  mortgagee.' 

Mabel  laughed  nervously,  though  on  the  verge 
of  tears.  The  picture  of  such  a  meeting  with  Rupert, 
with  her  father  as  a  possible  witness,  struck  her  as 
grimly  ludicrous. 

'  What  are  you  laughing  at  ?  What  have  I  done  ? ' 
asked  Rupert,  puzzled  and  frowning. 

'  Nothing,'  she  answered.  '  Father  and  mother 
have  driven  down  to  consult  the  Scotts  and  see 
if  anything  can  possibly  be  arranged.  There  is  no 
one  but  me  in  the  house.' 

'  When  will  they  be  home  ? ' 

'  Any  time,'  answered  Mabel  with  a  frightened 
glance  at  the  clock.  '  Not  later  than  an  hour,  or 
an  hour  and  a  half  at  anyrate.' 

'  Then  I  shall  wait  and  see  your  father.'  Rupert 
settled  himself  back  in  his  chair  for  a  good  long 
look  at  Mabel.  'Don't  be  worried,  little  girl.  We 
can  have  a  talk  first  and  then  I'm  sure  I  shall  be 
able  to  persuade  him.  If  you'd  rather  be  out  of 
the  way  I  will  go  and  meet  them  on  the  road.' 

Mabel  sighed  and  shook  her  head. 

'No.     Don't  do  that' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  293 

'  Shall  I  stay  here,  then  ?  Say  that  you  are  glad  I 
have  come.' 

Mabel  went  over  to  him  and  somehow  -found  her 
head  on  his  shoulder.  '  I  am  gladder  than  I  can  say 
to  see  you — I  was  utterly  miserable  five  minutes  ago,' 
she  said  ;  '  but  it  is  not  the  slightest  use  to  do  any- 
thing.' 

'  Why  ? ' 

'  Because  my  father  will  refuse  to  allow  us  to  get 
married.' 

'  And  if  he  refuses  ?  ' 

Mabel  pressed  her  hands  over  her  eyes.  '  I — shall 
obey  him,'  she  said,  stifling  a  sob. 

An  exclamation  of  impatience  from  Rupert  caused 
Mabel  to  raise  her  head,  and  she  looked  at  him  re- 
proachfully. 

'  Don't  be  ungenerous,  Rupert,'  she  sighed.  '  You 
can't  understand.  If  you  only  knew  what  my  poor 
old  father  had  been  through  you  would  never  ask  me 
to  be  cruel  to  him  just  because  we  love  each  other. 
Try  to  help  me  instead  of  persuading  me  to  be  selfish 
and  disobedient.' 

'  My  darling  girl,  I  would  do  anything  to  help  you 
— only  tell  me  what  ?  ' 

Mabel  shook  her  head  hopelessly. 

'  There,  you  can  suggest  nothing.  The  one  thing 
I  won't  do  is  leave  you  here  to  be  miserable.  I 
know  from  Conyngham  something  of  what  you've 
been  through.'  He  felt  the  tremor  of  a  smothered 
sob,  and  a  nervous  pressure  of  his  arm,  confirming 
what  Conyngham  had  said,  encouraged  him  to  go  on. 
'  I  would  disobey  my  parents  for  your  sake,'  he 
argued  persuasively  ;  '  and  if  people  are  unreason- 
able I  don't  see  that  we  owe  them  obedience.' 


294  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Mabel  smiled  through  her  tears.  '  You  were  always 
obstinate,  and  I  believe  as  much  as  anything,  dear, 
you  want  your  own  way.' 

1 1  want  you,  Mab — and  I'm  going  to  have  you — 
with  our  parents'  consent  or  without.  Anyhow,  it 
can  do  no  harm  to  ask.' 

'  Don't — don't,'  she  cried.  '  I  simply  can't  let  you 
speak  to  my  father  and  be  refused  with  such  a  storm 
of  anger  as  you  don't  know — you  can't  imagine.  He 
is  so  changed — morose  and  almost  fierce.  I  should 
be  ashamed  and — and  frightened — I  would  rather 
run  away.' 

'  Run  away  ! '  echoed  Rupert,  softly,  a  gleam  of 
hope  dawning  on  him.  He  left  the  chair  beside 
Mabel  and  stood  thinking  for  a  moment,  scarcely 
aware  of  her  frightened,  questioning  gaze. 

'  How  much  money  does  your  father  want  to  save 
the  place  from  being  sold  ?  '  he  asked  suddenly. 

'  A  thousand  pounds.' 

'  And  you  don't  think  there  is  any  chance  of  his 
taking  it  from  me  as  a  loan  ? ' 

Mabel  shook  her  head.     '  Not  the  slightest.' 

'  And  from  you  ?  ' 

'  What  do  you  mean  ?  From  me?  Where  should  I— 

Her  eyes  met  his  and  she  lowered  them,  blushing. 

Rupert  stood  over  and  caught  her  hand.  '  Mabel, 
dearest,  listen  to  me,'  he  cried.  '  You  spoke  just  now, 
as  a  wild  possibility,  of  running  away.  But  there  is 
really  nothing  else  to  do  if  you  won't  let  me  speak. 
Truly,  I  had  never  thought  of  it.  I  came  to  honestly 
tell  your  father  that  I  love  you,  and  if  he  were  here 
I  would  do  so  in  spite  of  anything  anyone  could  say.' 

'  You  would  be  mad  then,'  she  interjected. 

'  Well,  as  he  is  not  here  I  can't  try.     Anyhow,  you 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  295 

think  it  useless  ;  and  see  how  Fate  has  played  into 
our  hands.  It  is  only  your  father's  misfortunes  that 
have  made  him  hard  and  bitter,  so  you  must  marry 
me  and  put  an  end  to  them.  If  he  would  not  take  a 
loan  from  me,  at  least  from  his  daughter  he  surely 
would.  Come  with  me  and  send  a  cheque — your  own 
cheque — for  a  thousand  pounds  to  your  father  as 
soon  as  you  are  my  wife.' 

Mabel  trembled  all  over  and  her  heart  beat  furi- 
ously. She  dared  not  look  at  Rupert,  but  she  felt  her 
power  of  resistance  giving  way  before  the  mingled 
command  and  pleading  in  his  tone  and  the  strong 
clasp  of  his  hand.  The  temptation  was  overwhelm- 
ing. First,  there  was  her  strong  love  for  Rupert. 
Then  with  a  stroke  of  the  pen  to  free  her  father  from 
all  his  troubles !  To  do  it  herself — she  who  had 
never  possessed  a  sovereign  of  her  own  in  all  her  life  ! 
It  was  scarcely  imaginable.  Salvation  for  her  parents 
if  she  yielded  —  for  herself,  freedom  from  sordid 
worries  and  fears — escape  from  the  memory-poisoned 
surroundings  she  had  grown  to  hate.  She  loved  her 
father  as  she  had  always  done,  but  of  late  her  presence 
seemed  to  give  him  no  pleasnre — only  to  add  poig- 
nancy to  his  regret — while  she  could  not  conceal  from 
herself  that  there  were  times  when  she  positively 
feared  him. 

Then  there  was  the  other  side  of  the  picture — her 
father's  fierce  anger,  her  mother's  blank  dismay  should 
they  return  to  find  her  gone. 

She  looked  at  Rupert  in  dumb  appeal.  He  saw 
that  she  hesitated  and  pursued  his  advantage. 

They  might  travel  together,  see  some  of  the  great 
world  that  she  had  so  longed  to  see,  and  return  again 
when  her  parents  had  made  the  best  of  it,  as  they 


296  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

were  sure  to  do,  and  all  was  forgotten  and  forgiven. 
Mrs  Toland  would  be  glad  to  see  her  married  ;  Mabel 
had  admitted  that  her  mother  knew  of  the  engage- 
ment and  was  pleased  with  it.  Only  yesterday  she 
had  told  her.  Could  she  doubt,  Rupert  demanded, 
that  in  time  Mrs  Toland  would  succeed  in  bringing 
her  father  over  to  their  side  ?  That  was  to  say  when 
his  mind  was  free  from  the  great  trouble  oppressing 
it.  If  she  stayed  at  home  saying  nothing,  and  the 
farm  were  sold,  his  mind  might  never  recover  from 
the  blow. 

Rupert  pleaded  his  cause  well.  Mabel's  love  for 
him  and  her  own  personal  longing  for  happiness  were 
his  champions,  and  finally  they  triumphed  for  a  time 
over  fears  and  scruples. 

She  got  up  and,  flinging  her  arms  round  his  neck, 
buried  her  head  on  his  shoulder. 

'  Yes,  I  will  go  with  you,'  she  faltered.  '  It  may  be 
wicked.  I  don't  know  what  it  is,  but  I  can't  bear  the 
strain  any  longer.  Life  is  terrible  here  and  I  must  go 
— I  simply  must ! ' 

Rupert  was  triumphant. 

'  It's  not  wicked  at  all,  but  common  sense,'  he 
laughed,  kissing  her.  'Everything  will  go  right 
now,  you  will  see.' 

She  looked  into  his  happy  face,  trying  to  absorb 
some  of  the  confidence  she  saw  there.  Then  the  last 
slanting  sun  ray  vanished  from  the  room  as  the  sun 
dipped  behind  the  distant  hills  and  she  was  seized 
suddenly  with  a  new  fear. 

'  No,  no  !  It  is  too  late,'  she  cried,  breaking  away 
from  him.  '  They  would  meet  us  on  the  road.  They 
may  be  here  any  moment.  You  must  go  away  and 
leave  me.  We  can  only  wait  and  hope.' 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  297 

It  was  nearly  six.  Rupert  had  not  thought  of  the 
hour,  and  he  was  staggered  for  a  moment,  but  quickly 
recovered  himself  and  made  up  his  mind. 

'  No,  Mab,  darling.  You  have  promised,  and  you 
won't  go  back  on  it,'  he  said,  holding  her  by  the  arms. 

'  But  suppose  my  father  should  meet  us  ?  It  would 
almost  send  him  mad.' 

'  But  he  won't  meet  us  if  you  are  quick,'  he  said 
confidently.  '  Go  and  put  up  what  things  you  want. 
Write  a  note  to  say  what  you  have  done,  and  I  will 
bring  the  buggy  to  the  house.' 

'  Oh  !  Is  there  nothing  else  we  can  do  ? '  she  asked 
despairingly. 

Rupert  kissed  her  again.  '  Nothing,'  he  answered 
promptly,  '  except  to  stay  to  bring  misery  on  every- 
one. You  will  trust  me,  won't  you  ? ' 

Mabel  answered  the  question  with  a  look  that 
satisfied  him. 

'  Don't  waste  any  time,  Mab,'  he  said,  hurrying 
away  to  the  stables.  His  pulse  beat  fast.  He  would 
have  preferred  not  to  sneak  away,  but  there  was  com- 
pensating excitement  and  a  glow  of  triumph  in  pur- 
pose accomplished.  All  now  depended  on  good  luck 
and  good  speed.  As  he  led  out  his  tired  horses  for 
their  long  journey  he  almost  welcomed  the  need  for 
haste,  with  all  its  disadvantages,  since,  with  more  time 
to  think,  Mabel  might  have  faltered  from  her  emin- 
ently sensible  resolution.  Practical  in  spite  of  his 
excitement,  he  thought  of  his  horses  and  stowed  half 
a  bag  of  chaff  in  the  buggy  to  feed  them  on  the  road. 

Meanwhile  Mabel,  feeling  faint  and  giddy,  leaned 
her  head  on  the  mantelpiece  for  a  moment's  thought. 
Then  she  pulled  herself  together.  There  was  time 
only  for  action,  and  fear  of  her  father's  anger, 


298  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

looming  larger  than  anything  else,  gave  her  speed. 
She  scribbled  a  few  hasty,  tear-smudged  lines  to  her 
parents,  saying  what  she  had  done.  They  looked 
bald  and  heartless,  but  there  was  no  time  to  put  on 
paper  the  justification,  excuses  and  protests  of  affec- 
tion that  rushed  pell-mell  through  her  brain.  Then, 
going  to  her  room  to  pack  a  few  things  into  an  old 
portmanteau  of  her  mother's,  she  saw  her  reflection 
in  the  looking-glass.  It  gave  her  quite  a  shock.  A 
sleepless  night  had  made  her  fall  away  from  the  high 
standard  she  held  of  what  a  woman  owes  to  her 
appearance.  She  had  not  dared  to  go  to  bed  till  the 
droning  voices  of  her  parents  in  the  next  room  had 
ceased  early  that  morning,  but  now  a  few  seconds 
must  be  spared  to  wash  away  all  traces  of  tears  and 
put  on  her  smartest  dress  to  face  the  world  and 
troubles  in  a  woman's  strongest  armour.  Things 
looked  brighter  then,  and  she  had  almost  finished  her 
small  packing  when  she  heard  the  rattle  of  wheels 
and  Rupert's  voice,  with  an  undercurrent  of  im- 
patience in  it,  calling  from  the  garden  gate. 

'  In  a  minute,'  she  answered.  She  paused  with  a 
lingering  look  round  the  little  sitting-room  as  she 
passed  through.  She  saw  with  a  new  pang  of  con- 
science that  the  fire  was  out.  The  lamp  was  un- 
trimmed,  the  table  was  not  laid.  She  had  not  left 
even  a  materially  comfortable  house  for  her  parents 
to  return  to. 

Rupert  called  her  again,  and  she  hurried  out,  half 
fearing  to  see  the  other  buggy  appearing  over  the 
hill.  He  stowed  the  luggage  beneath  the  seat,  helped 
Mabel  in  with  a  sigh  of  relief  that  she  had  come  at 
last,  and  started  his  horses  away  at  a  gallop. 

Anxiety  and,  on  Mabel's  part,  remorse  at  the  step 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  299 

she  was  taking,  kept  them  almost  silent  till  long 
after  the  white  gate  of  Grimsby  Farm  was  left  behind. 
Then  the  novelty,  the  excitement,  and  the  prospects 
of  the  new  life  coming  gradually  shook  off  the  spell 
of  the  old  one  left  behind.  The  moon  had  been  high 
in  the  sky  before  the  twilight  had  gone,  and  there 
was  little  chance  of  passing  Toland  unrecognised  if 
they  should  meet  him  on  the  narrow  road.  Rupert, 
therefore,  made  all  the  pace  he  could,  and  began  to 
hope  that  they  might  pass  in  time  the  turn  where  the 
cross  road  came  in  from  Scott's.  He  had  only  half 
a  mile  to  go,  and  was  walking  his  horses  up  a  sharp 
pinch  some  six  miles  from  the  farm,  when  a  distant 
rumble  of  wheels  sounded  on  his  ear.  Mabel  heard 
it  too  and  clutched  his  arm  in  fear. 

'  They  are  crossing  the  bridge,'  she  whispered. 

Rupert  nodded.  '  I  think  we  can  do  it,  dear/  he 
answered,  and  whipped  up  his  pair.  In  a  minute  the 
white  schoolhouse  by  the  corner  gleamed  ahead 
through  the  trees.  Mabel  gave  a  long  sigh  of  guilty 
relief  as  they  passed  it,  and  Rupert,  reining  his 
horses  down  to  a  slow  trot,  pointed  to  a  buggy  just 
emerging  from  the  moonlit  lane. 

'  It  was  a  narrow  squeak,'  he  said.  '  It  is  your 
people,  isn't  it  ?  I'm  glad  we  did  not  meet  them  on 
the  track.' 

Mabel  turned  her  head  and  looked  where  he 
pointed.  She  recognised  the  grey  horses ;  then  her 
father's  voice  reached  her,  commenting  on  the  strange 
buggy  on  the  roads.  There  came  suddenly  a  great 
revulsion  of  feeling. 

'  Oh,  Rupert !  I  can't  leave  them.  Let  us  go 
back  ! '  she  cried  imploringly. 

'  It  is  too  late,  Mab,  darling.    It  would  be  only  folly 


3oo  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

now.'  He  called  to  his  horses  again,  and  in  a  few 
seconds  the  rattle  of  the  buggy  driving  up  the  road 
they  had  come  died  away  in  the  distance. 

Mabel  was  silent  for  a  long  time  torturing  herself 
by  picturing  phases  of  the  old  folk's  surprise  and 
dismay  when  they  arrived  at  the  deserted  house. 
Rupert  left  her  alone.  Though  young,  he  was  not 
devoid  of  sympathy  ;  and  with  tact  beyond  his  years 
understood  the  occasional  value  of  silence. 

After  a  time  he  roused  her  to  interest  in  their  imme- 
diate plans.  They  would  drive  slowly  through  the  night, 
not  to  Tongalong,  but  to  the  next  roadside  station, 
where  they  would  not  be  known,  and  catch  a  train  at 
daybreak.  Then  she  should  go  to  a  cousin  of  his 
mother's,  an  old  maiden  lady,  who  would  undoubtedly 
be  shocked,  but  who  was  devoted  to  Mrs  Harlin  and 
very  fond  of  him,  and  whom  he  could  trust  to  take 
care  of  her  until  they  were  married  on  that  day  or  the 
next. 

'  And  then  what  ?  '  asked  Mabel. 

1  Then,  as  soon  as  you  hear  from  your  mother  that 
she  has  the  cheque  and  all  is  right,  first  boat  to 
England  with  six  months  free  from  jawings  and  row- 
ings, to  give  all  the  old  people  time  to  forgive  us.' 

His  confidence  was  ^infectious,  and  Mabel  found 
great  solace  in  the  thought  of  her  mother's  joy  on  re- 
ceiving that  wonderful  cheque,  which  should  make  life 
at  Grimsby  Farm  smooth  and  unmortgaged  again. 
Surely  then  her  father  would  forgive  her,  and,  with 
returning  mental  health,  admit  that  she  had  acted  for 
the  best. 

By-and-by  the  pale  light  of  Mallock's  shanty 
lamp  showed  its  glimmer  down  the  road. 

Mabel  shuddered  as  she  thought  of  the  last  scene 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  301 

enacted  there  and  demurred  at  first  when  Rupert 
asked  her  to  hold  the  horses  while  he  entered.  But 
she  could  not  account  to  him  for  the  depth  of  her  re- 
pugance  and  conquered  it,  since  Rupert  said  that  he 
must  change  a  cheque  or  be  stranded  penniless 
on  the  railway  station.  It  had  also  occurred  to  him 
that  Mabel  would  need  refreshment  to  keep  up  her 
strength  on  the  long  night  drive  ;  and  here  he  might 
get  biscuits  and  wine. 

He  still  retained  something  of  a  mischievous  boy's 
pleasure  in  taking  a  neat  fall  out  of  an  enemy.  There- 
fore he  greeted  the  shanty-keeper  pleasantly  when 
Mallock  entered  the  bar  wondering  greatly  at  Rupert's 
presence  there,  his  purchases,  and  his  anxiety  for  cash 
in  exchange  for  the  cheque  which  he  offered.  Then 
as  he  left  the  house  Rupert  turned  smilingly  on  his 
host. 

'  Well,  good-bye  Mallock,'  he  said ; '  I  won't  see  you 
for  some  time  as  I'm  off  to  England.  I  suppose  you've 
heard  that  Miss  Toland  and  I  are  to  be  married.' 

'  What  the  hell  do  you  mean  ? — Mabel  ? '  gasped 
Mallock,  astounded. 

'  Miss  Toland,  I  said,'  replied  Rupert,  quietly. 
'  Don't  swear,  my  good  man,  as  she's  in  the  buggy  out- 
side. We're  driving  to  Tongalong  now,  you  know — 
and,  by-the-bye,  my  wife  will  send  you  a  cheque  in  a 
day  or  two  to  square  off  that  little  mortgage  business 
of  Mr  Toland's.' 

Laughing  to  himself,  Rupert  jumped  into  the  buggy 
and  drove  off,  leaving  Mallock  staring  after  him  and 
uttering  curses  so  heartfelt  and  foul  that  it  was  well 

o 

they  had  no  audience  but  the  trees. 


CHAPTER  IX 

AT  other  times  Toland  might  have  noticed  in  such 
moonlight  the  fresh  wheel  marks  at  his  gate,  but  his 
thoughts  were  turned  inward.  Even  the  empty  feed 
boxes  in  the  stalls,  which  he  had  left  with  chaff  in 
them  that  morning,  failed  to  arrest  his  attention,  and 
he  scarcely  heeded  his  wife's  exclamation  of  surprise 
at  the  darkness  enveloping  the  house.  She  would  not 
go  in  as  he  told  her  to,  but  remained  talking  at  his 
side  until  the  horses  were  unyoked  and  fed  and  the 
old  buggy,  dating  from  before  the  bush  fire  and 
associated  with  many  happy  holidays,  had  been 
stowed  away  under  cover. 

The  'familiar  routine  seemed  to  bring  a  keener 
realisation  to  Toland,  and  he  paused,  looking  at  the 
buggy  as  he  slung  up  the  pole  in  the  loop  of  fencing 
wire. 

'We've  had  our  last  ride  on  those  old  wheels, 
Ruth,'  he  said.  '  I  wish  it  had  gone  in  the  fire  with 
the  rest  of  the  things  we  had  when  we  were  young, 
instead  of  being  laughed  at  and  knocked  down  for  a 
pound  or  two  this  day  fortnight.  My  God  !  to  think 
that  two  weeks  from  to-day  you'll  have  no  home,  and 
like  as  not  I'll  be  a  debtor  still.' 

'  Don't  think  of  it,'  she  said,  drawing  him  away. 
'  I  have  a  sort  of  feeling  that  something  might  happen 
yet,  and  at  anyrate  you've  done  your  best,  and  your 
wife  and  children  are  proud  of  you.' 

302 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  303 

Toland  laughed  bitterly  as  he  put  up  the  buggy 
shed  rails  and  turned  towards  the  house. 

'  Surely  my  wife  and  children  are  not  such  fools,' 
he  said.  '  Not  Joe,  at  least.  Mighty  proud  he  is, 
when  he'd  run  away  and  leave  the  sinking  ship! 
Sensible  maybe,  but—'  He  checked  himself  and 
shook  his  head  in  a  way  that  suggested  a  crowd  of 
whirling  thoughts  he  could  not  or  would  not  put  into 
words. 

'  Joe  only  went  to  fight  our  battles  further  afield,' 
ventured  Ruth.  '  You  must  not  be  hard  on  the  boy.' 

'  I  know — I  know — I'll  try — but  don't  speak  to  me 
about  it.'  His  hand  was  on  the  garden  gate  and  he 
waited  for  his  wife  to  pass  through.  '  What's  Mabel 
doing,  I  wonder,  that  she's  got  the  house  in  darkness  ? 
Poor  little  girl !  We  shouldn't  have  left  her  alone.' 

Mrs  Toland  was  trembling.  The  dark  windows 
had  filled  her  with  apprehension  ever  since  she  had 
stepped  from  the  buggy,  but  she  had  not  dared 
mention  them,  nor  enter  the  house  alone. 

Now  they  were  at  the  window  of  the  sitting-room, 
which  stood  ajar,  with  the  moonlight  streaming  in, 
revealing  the  black,  cheerless  hearth,  a  symbol  of 
desolation.  Ruth's  heart  stood  still,  fearing  she  knew 
not  what. 

'  Mabel !  Where  are  you  ?  Mabel ! '  called  Toland 
in  a  voice  gruff  and  stern  from  an  endeavour  to 
conceal  his  fears.  The  call  was  repeated,  but  no 
answer  came. 

'Don't  be  frightened,  little  mother.  The  girl's 
worn  out  and  gone  to  sleep,'  he  said  kindly.  '  You'll 
find  her  in  her  bedroom.' 

It  seemed  possible.  Mrs  Toland  pressed  her  hus- 
band's hand  and  hurried  towards  Mabel's  door  when 


3o4  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

a  scrap  of  white  paper  fluttered  from  the  mantelpiece 
as  she  passed. 

'  Ah,  what's  that  ? '  she  cried,  snatching  it  in 
feverish  haste  from  the  floor.  She  strained  her  eyes 
and  held  the  paper  where  a  moonbeam  fell  upon  it. 
'  Mabel's  writing  !  What  can  have  happened  to  her  ? 
Quick,  John !  A  light.  Oh,  let  me  see  what  she 
says  ! ' 

Toland  stood  beside  his  wife,  and,  looking  over  her 
shoulder,  held  a  match,  throwing  its  flickering  light  on 
the  few  lines  of  Mabel's  message.  He  had  seized 
their  import  even  before  she  did,  and,  dropping  the 
light,  stamped  heavily  upon  it.  He  laughed  again 
fiercely,  making  Ruth  shudder. 

'  And  this  is  the  daughter  who  is  proud  of  me  ! 
Like  Joe,  runs  away — curse  her,  I  say !  Curse  her ! ' 

'  Hush  !  Oh,  for  Heaven's  sake,  John,  hush  ! '  Ruth 
clung  to  Toland  and  tried  to  place  her  hand  over  his 
mouth,  but  he  wrenched  himself  away. 

'  Yes,  curse  her,  and  the  low  puppy  thief  that  has 
stolen  her.  Are  you  going  to  turn  against  me  too  ? ' 

Ruth  had  fallen  into  a  chair  where  he  could 
scarcely  see  her  in  the  dim  light.  She  sobbed  almost 
inaudibly,  but  with  a  violence  that  shook  piteously  her 
slender  frame.  Her  silence  only  seemed  to  add  fuel 
to  his  fury. 

'  Land  and  children,'  he  laughed  bitterly ;  '  what  I 
pictured  as  the  joy  of  my  life — and  would  to  God  I 
had  neither  to  be  the  curse  of  my  old  age.  Well,  I 
won't  have  the  land  long,  and  I'm  glad  of  it — and  the 
children  will  never  enter  my  doors  again.  If  that 
Harlin — that  blackguard  cub  of  a  drunken  rogue — 
comes  across  my  path  I'll  strangle  him,  by  God  I 
will!' 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  305 

Mrs  Toland  rose  with  an  effort.  Dry-eyed  and 
composed,  though  she  was  deadly  pale  and  could 
scarcely  breathe,  she  caught  her  husband's  coat-sleeve 
with  a  trembling  hand. 

'  John,  are  you  not  ashamed  of  yourself? '  she  asked 
in  the  sternest  tones  her  gentle  lips  had  ever  framed. 
'  Remember  me  and  have  mercy,  if  you  have  no 
forgiveness  for  our  poor  children,  nor  respect  for  your 
God  or  yourself.' 

Astonishment  sobered  Toland  for  a  moment;  there 
came  a  temporary  revulsion  of  feeling,  and,  catching 
her  in  his  arms,  he  strained  her  to  his  breast. 

'  At  least  you  are  not  afraid  of  me,  little  woman,' 
he  cried.  '  You  love  me  and  will  not  run  away,  and 
I  love  you  more  than  I  ever  did,  because  you  are  not 
one  of  those  cursed  cowards.' 

•  All  Ruth's  strength  had  gone  again  with  her 
husband's  words  and  his  caress,  and  almost  happy 
in  spite  of  everything,  she  could  only  cry  and  cling 
closer  to  him. 

He  had  been  silent  for  a  moment,  when  his  eye  fell 
on  the  scrap  of  paper  at  his  feet,  and  releasing  him- 
self he  stooped  to  pick  it  up  with  the  fierce  mood 
creeping  on  him  again. 

'  Bring  a  light,  Ruth.  Where  are  the  lamps  ? '  he 
muttered,  going  to  the  doorway,  where  he  stood 
crunching  the  letter  in  his  fingers  and  gazing  with 
knitted  brows  over  the  clear  sweep  of  the  hill 
paddock.  Ruth's  hand  shook  and  the  lamp-chimney 
rattled  against  the  brass  clips  as  she  tried  to  place  it 
over  the  wick. 

Toland  turned  from  the  window  to  the  light. 
Then,  changing  his  mind,  with  an  impatient  gesture 
he  flung  the  crumpled  paper  into  the  fireplace. 

U 


3o6  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

'  Why  should  I  read  it  again  ?'  he  exclaimed.  '  She's 
gone.  That's  all  I  want  to  know — gone,  she  said,  to 
catch  the  train  to  Melbourne  and  marry  him  to- 
morrow.' He  watched  Ruth  go  to  the  hearth  and, 
picking  up  the  letter,  smooth  out  the  creases,  with 
difficulty  repressing  an  impulse  to  knock  it  from  her 
hand. 

'  That  was  the  strange  buggy,  then,'  he  broke  out, 
clenching  his  fists.  'Do  you  remember,  Ruth? 
Passed  within  a  chain  of  us  at  the  corner.  Oh,  my 
God  !  Why  didn't  I  know  it  then,  so  that  I  might 
have  dragged  him  out  and  smashed  his  head  on  a 
fence  rail  Stop  reading  that  wicked  child's  scribbl- 
ing and  listen  to  me,  Ruth.  Do  you  hear  ?  Listen 
to  me ! ' 

The  paper  that  she  had  already  read  again  in  a 
devouring  glance  was  slipped  almost  defiantly  within 
her  dress,  and  sinking  into  a  chair,  she  turned  dull 
eyes  on  her  husband  striding  angrily  about  the  room. 

'  I  think  I  hear,  John.  What  is  it  ?  '  she  asked  with 
a  faint,  quivering  smile. 

'  I  say  that  like  a  fool  I  missed  my  chance,'  he 
almost  shouted.  '  I  had  the  sneak  at  my  mercy  to 
wring  his  wretched  neck  and  I  let  him  go —  Could 
I  catch  him  now  ? '  he  went  on,  more  to  himself  than 
to  Ruth.  'There  is  no  train  till  daybreak.  The 
old  horses  might  do  it,  and  it's  the  last  and  best  thing 
they'll  do  for  their  master  if  they  let  me  get  my  hand 
on  his  throat.  By  Heaven  !  I'll  make  them  try.' 

Toland  snatched  up  his  hat  from  the  floor  where 
he  had  thrown  it,  but  before  he  was  through  the  door 
Ruth  had  caught  him  and  was  dragging  him  back 
with  an  effort  of  strength  that  raised  astonishment 
for  the  moment  above  all  else  in  his  sick  brain. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  307 

'  John,  my  dear  husband  ! '  she  cried.  '  Don't  do 
anything  so  foolish  and  so  wicked.' 

'  Why  wicked  and  foolish  ? '  he  asked,  giving  way 
with  something  like  a  wild  animal's  sullen  obedience 
and  standing  still  in  hesitation. 

'  Sit  down  and  let  me  speak  to  you.' 

He  almost  smiled  at  his  wife's  gentle  endeavours 
to  force  him  to  a  chair,  and  allowed  himself  to  be 
pushed  into  it.  She  sat  down  upon  the  arm  with  one 
hand  resting  on  his  shoulder,  but  she  looked  past  him 
into  the  moonlight  and  with  a  silent  prayer  nerved 
herself  to  an  effort. 

Her  voice  sounded  strange  and  far  away  to  Toland. 

'  It  would  be  foolish  to  go  after  Mabel  and  Rupert 
Harlin,'  she  began,  '  because  you  know  that  with 
those  horses  that  have  travelled  so  far  to-day  you 
could  never  reach  Tongalong  in  time — and  it  would 
be  wicked  because  you  would  be  going  with  only 
fierce,  evil  thoughts  in  your  heart.  What  good  could 
it  do  if  you  found  them  ?  You  would  only  commit 
some  rash  violence  that  would  ruin  Mabel's  happiness 
for  ever  and  fill  you  with  remorse.  Oh,  if  you  knew 
how  thankful  I  am  to  Heaven  that  you  did  not  re- 
cognise that  strange  buggy  on  the  road  to-night' 

She  paused,  wiping  a  mist  of  tears  from  her  eyes, 
and  Toland  moved  uneasily.  '  Maybe  it  was  for  the 
best,'  he  said  grudgingly.  '  I  couldn't  but  have  laid 
hands  on  him.  But  you're  not  going  to  make  ex- 
cuses for  her,  Ruth— the  daughter  I  trusted  would 
stick  by  her  parents  whatever  other  folk  did.'  He 
passed  his  hand  wearily  through  his  hair.  '  It's  cold, 
let  me  make  you  a  bit  of  a  fire.  The  child  didn't 
leave  us  even  that,'  he  said  with  a  mirthless  laugh 
and  made  as  if  to  rise  ;  but  Ruth  leaned  against  him, 


3o8  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

imprisoning  him  in  the  chair,  and  his  arm  slipped 
round  her.  '  Ah,  well !  Life  must  go  on/  he  sighed. 
'  I'm  a  little  mad,  Ruth.  There's  the  savage  in  me 
coming  near  the  top.  Give  me  time,  wife — give  me 
time.  Let  me  alone  and  we  won't  speak  of  her  to- 
night— I  can't  forgive  her,  but  I'll  try  to  forget. 
But  no  excuses — there  are  none.  Come,  get  up,  Ruth, 
and  we'll  have  the  night  like  old  times  alone  together.' 

Ruth  did  not  move,  however,  but  kept  a  restraining 
hand  on  his  arm,  pressing  it  closer  to  her.  '  I  must 
make  excuses,  John,'  she  said  bravely,  'even  if  it  hurts 
you  I  must,  for  there  are  true  ones.' 

'  You're  not  wise — not  to-night,'  he  muttered. 

'  To-night  or  never.  You'd  not  think  I  would  will- 
ingly hurt  you,  John  ? ' 

For  answer  his  great  brown  hand  slipped  over  hers 
and  raised  it  to  his  lips. 

4  No,  you  could  not  think  so.  And  yet  I  must,  for 
I'd  rather  you  blamed  yourself  a  little  than  her  too 
much.'  Her  words  came  in  a  nervous  rush.  '  Poor 
child,  you  know  how  you  love  her,  and  that  she  loves 
you.  But,  John,  dear,  you've  been  cold  and  rough 
lately.  It's  our  misfortunes,  I  know.  But  you've 
made  her  afraid — she  thought  she  was  no  help  to 
you.  She  loved  Rupert  Harlin  for  a  long  time,  and  she 
dared  not  ask  for  your  consent,  though  he  wanted  to. 
You — Heaven  knows  what  you  would  have  said — 
But  you'll  forgive  your  daughter — John —  Say  you 
will  forgive  her — not  to-night  perhaps — yes — new- 
to-night  ! ' 

He  looked  into  her  face  for  a  moment,  hesitating; 
then  threw  aside  her  hand  and  brushed  past  her 
roughly  as  he  rose  to  escape  her  pleading  touch 
and  tones. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  309 

'  Never,'  he  said  hoarsely.     '  I  can't  do  it     Are  all 
my  children  cowards?' 
'Am  I?'  sighed  Ruth. 

'You?  No— but  you're  not  afraid  of  me,  Ruth. 
Good  God  !  am  I  going  mad  ?  Don't  tell  me 
you're  afraid.' 

'  Not  now — but  I  have  been.' 
If  her  white  face  told  the  truth  the  time  was 
scarcely  past.  Toland  stood  staring  at  her  for  a 
moment  incredulously.  Then,  staggering  to  a  chair, 
he  flung  himself  down  on  it,  and  leaned  upon  the 
table  with  his  face  between  his  hands. 

'  Tell  me,'  he  said.  '  I'm  learning  that  there's  worse 
things  than  having  the  roof  sold  over  your  head.' 

Ruth's  heart  beat  furiously,  but  she  was  determined 
to  get  her  confession  over,  and  met  her  husband's  gaze. 
'  I  knew,'  she  faltered — '  I  knew  that  Mabel  was 
engaged  to  Rupert  Harlin.' 
<  When  ? ' 

'  I  had  guessed  it  for  weeks.  Mr  Conyngham 
suggested  it  long  ago.  Yesterday  she  told  me.' 

'  And  you  didn't  tell  me  because  you  were  afraid  of 
me — afraid  of  my  violence,  eh  ? ' 

His  calmness  frightened  her  more  than  any 
violence  now.  '  Ah  !  forgive  me  ! '  she  cried  longingly, 
going  to  him  with  outstretched  arms.  '  Forgive  me, 
John  ! '  but  he  pushed  her  away  and  laughed,  striking 
a  chill  to  her  heart. 

'  I'm  a  little  madder  than  I  thought — that's  all. 
Don't  let  us  worry  over  it.  The  children  run  away 
from  me.  The  wife  doesn't  trust  me — the  land 
is  going  this  day  fortnight,  and  I'll  not  be  long  after 
it.  Then  they'll  have  no  one  to  frighten  them— 
Cheer  up,  Ruth,  girl  !  There's  a  good  time  coming.' 


3 io  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Neither  of  them  had  heard  the  step  on  the  verandah. 
Ruth  was  clutching  the  table  for  support  in  an  agony 
of  fear,  and  Toland,  throwing  up  his  head  in  mad 
merriment,  swung  on  his  chair  when  the  partially- 
closed  door  opened  wide,  and  as  Toland's  voice 
died  away,  husband  and  wife  turned  their  eyes 
to  see  Conyngham's  tall  figure  framed  in  the  door- 
way. 

Toland  sprang  to  his  feet  and  stretched  out  his 
arm  pointing.  '  Look,  Ruth ! '  he  cried.  '  I  told  you 
I  was  going.  Oh,  there's  a  good  time  coming.  Here 
is  a  protector  for  you.  He  has  no  land  to  lose  and 
you  will  never  be  afraid.' 

Conyngham  strode  into  the  room.  He  glanced  at 
Toland,  but  all  his  eyes  were  for  Ruth  ;  and  Toland, 
panting  for  breath,  ceased  to  laugh  and  glared  from 
one  to  the  other. 

There  was  a  fateful  moment's  silence.  Conyngham, 
hearing  of  the  elopement  from  Mallock,  had  ridden 
straight  away  to  see  if  he  could  offer  any  comfort  or 
assistance.  He  had  thought  Toland's  reason  tottering 
in  the  balance,  and  now  it  seemed  that  it  had  kicked 
the  beam. 

Those  surely  were  a  madman's  eyes.  His  own 
sought  Ruth's.  His  arms  moved  from  his  side  in  an 
involuntary  movement  of  protection,  and  her  lids 
dropped  before  his  glance.  To  Toland  came  back 
suddenly  the  memory  of  years  ago  when  Ruth  was 
ill,  memory  of  the  suspicion  since  laughed  at  and 
forgotten.  The  jealousy  his  sane,  generous  mind 
could  never  harbour  sprang  suddenly  into  monstrous 
existence.  He  stepped  in  front  of  Conyngham, 
struggling  against  a  mad  impulse  to  grasp  his  throat, 
with  a  great  effort  of  restraint  keeping  his  hands 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U  3 1 1 

from  creeping  up  the  arms  which  they  clutched  like 
a  vice. 

'  Get  out  of  my  house,'  he  said  huskily.  '  Get  out, 
before  mischief  happens.  You  don't  know  what  you 
are  doing — coming  here  to-night.' 

Conyngham  stood  firm  and  motionless,  leaning 
forward  to  passively  resist  Toland's  weight.  He 
looked  at  Ruth,  and  the  issue  of  a  tragedy  hung 
on  a  glance  or  a  word  from  her. 

She  was  terrified,  but  loyal  love  and  hope  pre- 
vailed over  fear.  In  a  moment  she  was  at  her 
husband's  side,  with  her  fingers  resting  lightly  on 
his  arm. 

'John,  dear,  don't  push  Mr  Conyngham  out,'  she 
said,  trying  to  force  a  laugh,  while  her  teeth  chattered. 
'  But  you  must  not  think  me  rude,  Mr  Conyngham, 
for  begging  you  to  leave  us.  My  husband  and  I  are 
terribly  upset  to-night.' 

A  beseeching  glance  which  was  unseen  by  Toland 
decided  Conyngham,  in  spite  of  his  fears  for  her. 

'  I  am  sorry  I  intruded  so  unfortunately,'  he  said 
quietly.  '  My  best  apology  will  be  to  go  at  once.' 

Toland  had  insensibly  allowed  the  grip  of  his  hands 
to  slacken.  As  Conyngham  withdrew  himself  he 
turned  to  look  at  Ruth ;  and  almost  before  the  re- 
treating figure  had  passed  the  doorway,  she  flung  her 
arms  round  her  husband's  neck,  overwhelming  him 
with  kisses  and  tears. 

Outside  the  little  house  Conyngham  waited  long 
in  the  shadow.  He  was  no  eavesdropper,  but  however 
wrong  his  love,  and  however  brave  the  woman,  he 
dared  not  leave  her  alone  in  the  power  of  a  mad- 
man, even  though  it  was  at  her  command. 

Again  and  again  he  told  himself  he  was  a  weak 


3i2  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

fool,  as  he  began  to  realise  the  strength  of  the  feeling 
that  had  grown  in  silence,  that  was  to  be  always  a 
secret,  and  had  kept  him  in  spite  of  many  resolutions 
anchored  in  the  Tonga  Valley  year  after  year.  Only 
now  did  he  fully  comprehend  what  his  life  had  missed 
when  he  witnessed  the  loving  trust  with  which  Ruth 
had  thrown  herself  into  her  husband's  arms — and  he 
stretched  out  his  own  in  an  uncontrollable  gesture  of 
hopeless  longing. 

All  seemed  quiet  within.  Though  only  a  few  yards 
away  he  could  scarcely  hear  the  voices,  and  almost 
hating  Toland,  with  a  new  insistent  jealousy  of 
which  he  felt  ashamed,  Conyngham  told  himself 
that  he  was  utterly  forgotten,  and  that  Ruth's 
gentle  influence  had  triumphed,  securing  Toland's 
threatened  reason  at  least  for  a  time. 

And  so  it  seemed  was  the  fact  With  a  heart  full 
of  thankfulness  Ruth  had  felt  her  husband's  arms 
close  round  her,  quivering ;  she  had  looked  into  his 
face  and  seen  his  eyes  grow  soft,  as  for  months  she 
had  not  known  them ;  and  when  he  brushed  his  hand 
across  them  suddenly,  and,  going  to  his  easy-chair, 
drew  her  gently  towards  him,  she  left  him  to  break 
the  silence,  feeling  that  the  dawn  was  coming  after  a 
hideous  nightmare  which  had  tortured  them. 

Toland  did  not  speak  for  a  long  time.  When  he 
did  his  voice  was  deep  and  resonant  with  sane 
emotion. 

'  You  saved  me,  Ruth.  My  reason  was  going,  and 
nothing  but  you  and  your  love  could  have  brought  it 
back  again.  How  can  you  care  for  such  a  brute 
as  I?' 

'  Don't,'  she  whispered  softly. 

'Yes,  I  was  mad,'  he  went  on,  'but  never  again, 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  313 

Ruth — never  while  you  are  near  me.'  He  paused 
and  looked  slowly  round  the  room  filled  with  Ruth's 
and  Mabel's  handiwork.  '  It's  hard  to  have  to  leave 
the  old  place,  but  I'll  try  to  bear  it  like  a  man.'  He 
stroked  her  hair  and  smiled  sadly.  '  No.  That's  not 
much  after  all — like  a  woman — like  you,  Ruth.' 

She  had  no  voice  to  speak,  and  she  would  have 
kissed  his  hand  but  that  with  a  sense  of  shame  he 
wrenched  it  away. 

'  Then  there's  Mabel.' 

Ruth  started  and  clung  to  his  arm,  but  his  voice 
was  quiet  and  even.  'Don't  be  afraid.  I — I've 
learnt  what  I  am.  No  wonder  the  girl  was  frightened 
of  me.  I  wouldn't  like  to  see  her — not  yet  a  while,  but 
some  day — some  day  I'll  forgive  her.' 

One  look  of  dumb  gratitude  flashed  from  Ruth's 
eyes ;  then  the  long-resisted  strain  had  its  way  and 
she  cried  uncontrollably  as  if  her  heart  would  break. 
It  was  long  before  Toland  could  soothe  and  scold 
her  back  to  control  of  herself  once  more  ;  and  the 
emotional  experience  he  went  through  in  the  time 
was  a  healthful  one  for  him. 

Conyngham,  still  keeping  his  vigil  in  the  garden, 
heard  the  tones  of  soothing  and  appeal — not  those  of 
the  same  man  who  had  saluted  him  in  the  doorway 
so  shortly  before.  Then  his  own  name  caught  his 
ear,  and  with  the  blood  mounting  to  his  face  he  stole 
softly  away  to  where  his  horse  was  tethered.  There 
was  no  reason  for  him  to  wait  longer.  When  husband 
and  wife  could  begin  to  discuss  him  quietly  together, 
the  wife  had  no  need  of  his  protection,  he  thought, 
with  a  bitter  laugh  at  his  wasted  championship.  It 
was  intolerable  to  think  that  he  had  betrayed  him- 
self, and  that  the  woman  he  had  loved,  and  her 


3 1 4  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

husband,  were  talking  of  him  not  with  anger,  perhaps, 
but  with  pity — possibly  amused  by  his  infatuation,  as 
they  had  a  perfect  right  to  be — and  saying  to  him- 
self many  hard  things  of  Ralph  Conyngham,  the 
schoolmaster  rode  away  from  Grimsby  Farm. 


CHAPTER   X 

MEMORIES  of  the  long  journey,  the  arrival  in  Mel- 
bourne, and  the  marriage  so  different  to  any  that  her 
fancy  had  ever  pictured,  were  already  dreamlike  and 
far  away  to  Mabel  Harlin  a  few  days  after  she  had 
left  her  father's  farm.  Even  the  excitement  and  the 
strangeness  would  not  stifle  thought.  Amid  her 
happiness  in  Rupert's  devotion  and  the  new  pleasure 
of  spending  money  with  what  seemed  reckless  ex- 
travagance on  the  dresses  that  her  husband  insisted 
she  should  have,  there  intruded  sharp  pangs  of 
conscience,  and  always  as  an  undercurrent  was  the 
longing  for  news  of  her  parents  in  the  old  home. 

Rupert  understood  her  anxiety  and  did  his  best  to 
allay  it.  All  would  be  well,  he  assured  her,  when 
Mrs  Toland  received  the  money.  To  that  chance 
Mabel  also  pinned  her  faith.  Her  hand  trembled  so 
when  she  wrote  specimen  signatures  for  the  bank, 
and  later,  when  she  filled  in  the  cheque  under  Rupert's 
directions,  that  he  laughed,  declaring  that  no  one 
could  possibly  read  such  a  scrawl ;  and  then  she  spent 
hours  on  the  letter  to  her  mother  for  an  answer  to 
which  she  feverishly  waited. 

Her  hurried  note  of  farewell,  written  at  Grimsby 
Farm,  had  omitted  to  give  any  address,  and  hence 
the  silence  from  home,  which  had  hitherto  oppressed 
her,  might  after  all,  she  kept  repeating  to  herself, 
have  no  sinister  meaning. 


316  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Standing  before  the  long  glass  one  evening  she  re- 
arranged the  lace  at  her  neck,  thinking  how  deep 
beneath  the  surface  went  the  changes  effected  by 
dressmakers  and  a  few  days.  Gowns  that  she  in- 
stinctively knew  men  admired  and  women  envied 
gave  her  confidence,  amid  her  strange  surroundings  in 
a  fashionable  hotel,  that  nothing  else  could  have 
given.  It  seemed  quite  natural  that  a  pearl  necklet, 
Rupert's  gift,  should  be  gleaming  on  the  throat  that 
had  never  known  anything  before  but  a  string  of 
beads  or  a  silver  brooch.  It  was  scarcely  strange 
that  she  and  Rupert  were  going  to  dine  at  the  table- 
cThote,  and  afterwards  spend  the  evening  at  the 
theatre,  of  which  her  only  experience  was  the  childish 
visit  to  the  upper  circle  years  ago.  If  only  her 
parents  would  make  perfect  by  their  sympathy  her 
joy  in  the  new  life,  stretching  out  in  kaleidoscopic 
hues  before  her !  In  time  they  must.  Her  father 
could  not  fail  to  see  what  a  fine  fellow  Rupert  was 
and  to  accept  their  help,  because  she  longed  so 
ardently  that  it  would  happen  so. 

Rupert  was  late.  She  could  hear  now  and  then  the 
frou-frou  of  silks  in  the  passage,  and  laughter  and 
footsteps  on  the  stairs  that  led  to  the  great  dining- 
room,  and  wondered  what  detained  her  husband,  when 
presently  he  entered.  He  begged  for  time  to  recover 
from  the  shock  of  his  wife's  new  magnificence,  and 
then  kissing  her,  praised  her  beauty  and  the  dress  she 
wore  in  words  that  brought  a  blush  to  Mabel's  cheeks 
and  made  her  almost  as  proud  as  he. 

'  Then  you  don't  think  the  black  velvet  is  too  old 
for  me  ? '  she  asked,  turning  slowly  round  before  him 
like  the  millinery  figures  in  the  windows. 

'You  are  a  Spanish  princess  from  a  picture  and 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  317 

you  would  make  anything  look  young.  The  dress  and 
that  lace  affair  suit  you  right  down  to  the  ground.' 

'  If  you  are  pleased  that  is  all  I  want.' 

'  Pleased  ? '  The  emphasised  interrogative  assured 
her  that  he  was,  and  smiling  happily,  she  threw  an 
opera  cloak  over  her  shoulders.  Neck  and  arms 
showed  a  little  fairer  beyond  the  sun  line  of  her  active 
country  life.  Otherwise  one  would  scarcely  guess 
that  she  was  a  stranger  to  cities,  and  nothing  sug- 
gested that  this  was  the  first  evening  gown  she  had 
ever  worn.  She  knew  instinctively  how  to  carry  her 
unaccustomed  finery  without  awkwardness,  and  the 
black  velvet  and  pearls  suited  her  fine  carriage  and 
her  colouring.  Only  the  appropriate  dressing  of  her 
abundant  hair  she  felt  at  present  beyond  her  skill, 
but  for  this  occasion  a  hairdresser  had  overcome  the 
difficulty,  so  on  that  point  too  she  felt  at  ease. 

She  had  forgotten  home  troubles  completely  for 
the  moment  when  Rupert  recalled  them  to  her. 

'  I'm  sorry  I'm  so  beastly  late,  Mab,'  he  said ;  '  but 
it  suddenly  struck  me  that  there  might  be  a  letter  at 
the  Wanderer's  Club — and  there  was.' 

'  Well  ? ' 

He  smiled  at  her  impulsive  movement  towards  him. 

'  Good  news  as  far  as  it  went.  Your  people  don't 
know  where  we  are.  But  Mrs  Toland  had  been  to 
the  Scotts — ' 

'  And  they  wrote  to  you  ? '  she  asked  in  astonish- 
ment. 

'Good  Lord,  no!  It  was  Conyngham.  He's  a 
trump  and  a  regular  old  uncle  to  us,  Mab.  Mrs 
Scott  told  him  that  there  had  been  no  end  of  a  row, 
but  that  your  father  and  mother  were  taking  ^it  well 
at  present  and  longing  for  further  news  of  you.' 


3i8  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

Mab  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief  and  raised  her 
arms  in  a  gesture  almost  of  thanksgiving,  while  her 
eyes  filled  with  happy  tears.  'Oh,  how  thankful  I 
am  that  you  got  that  letter ! '  she  sighed.  '  Perhaps 
everything  will  really  be  right  now.  Mother  must 
have  my  other  letter  by  this  time.  I'm  actually  be- 
ginning to  be  glad  I  married  you,  Rupert.' 

Her  pale  blue  opera  cloak  had  slipped  from  her 
shoulders. 

Rupert  picked  it  up  and  handed  it  to  her  with  a 
proud  glance  at  the  queenly  young  figure,  thinking 
he  had  no  cause  to  regret  his  part  of  the  contract. 
He  laughed  at  the  glow  of  delight  that  brightened  her 
face  and  belied  the  tears  glistening  on  the  long  eye- 
lashes. 

'  You  are  kind,'  he  said,  *  and  I  am  deeply  flattered 
—but  it  doesn't  occur  to  you  to  wonder  what  my  old 
people  think  of  our  performance.' 

She  looked  at  him  remorsefully.  'Oh,  Rupert, 
what  a  selfish  wretch  I  am  ! '  she  exclaimed,  laying 
caressing  fingers  on  his  coat  sleeve.  '  Have  you  heard 
from  them  too  ?  There  was  no  room  in  my  thoughts 
just  now  for  anything  but  what  you  told  me.' 

Rupert  kissed  her  again,  laughing.  '  Nonsense, 
darling ! '  he  said.  '  My  affairs  are  all  right.  Much 
better  than  I  expected.  I'll  tell  you  about  them  at 
dinner.' 

He  had  gone  to  dress  before  Mabel  could  question 
him  further,  but  later  on  she  learnt  that  things  were 
not  much  changed  at  Kumbarra.  Mr  Harlin  was 
angry  and  still  uttered  threats  of  cutting  Rupert  off 
with  a  shilling,  but  Mrs  Harlin,  who  had  written  him 
a  letter  of  mild  rebuke,  believed  that  her  husband 
would  accept  the  position  with  better  grace  now  that 


THE  WISDOM  Of  ESAU  319 

he  could  in  no  way  alter  it.  She  would  write  in  a 
day  or  two,  she  promised,  to  scold  and  congratulate 
Mabel. 

Though  she  might  have  indignantly  denied  it,  Mrs 
Harlin  was  in  her  secret  heart  not  greatly  displeased 
that  Mabel  and  Rupert  had  run  away.  She  knew  her 
son  too  well  to  have  had  hopes  of  preventing  the 
marriage,  and  the  elopement  disposed  of  the  unpleas- 
ant prospect  of  a  bourgeois  wedding  where  class  dif- 
ferences— and  the  Scotts — would  be  much  in  evidence. 
Harlin  said  bluntly  that  since  Mabel  had  shown  her 
good  taste  by  clearing  out  from  the  family,  and 
Rupert  some  glimmerings  of  good  sense  by  not 
mixing  himself  up  in  functions  with  a  common 
crowd,  in  which  it  would  be  an  insult  to  ask  him 
to  join,  he  did  not  so  much  mind  him  making  an  ass 
of  himself.  Mabel  was  a  pretty  girl,  and  he  should 
not  wonder  if  she  were  smart  enough  to  pass  as  a 
lady  among  people  who  didn't  know  her  father  or 
her  uncle. 

Thus  the  Tolands  and  themselves  were  the  only 
people  to  whom  the  young  couple's  elopement  was 
fraught  with  gravity,  and  Rupert  could,  with  some 
show  of  reason,  congratulate  himself  that  he  had 
taken  the  wisest  course.  Mabel  listened  to  his  en- 
thusiastic appreciation  of  his  own  foresight,  smiling, 
suspending  judgment  till  the  reply  which  she  dreaded 
yet  longed  for  should  come  from  Grimsby  Farm. 

At  last  it  arrived.  On  the  breakfast-table  one 
morning  she  found  a  letter  waiting — the  first  one  she 
had  seen  addressed  to  Mrs  Rupert  Harlin — and  in 
her  mother's  handwriting.  She  snatched  it  up  with  a 
beating  heart.  She  could  not  trust  herself  to  read  it 
in  the  presence  of  other  inmates  of  the  hotel,  scattered 


32o  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

about  at  adjoining  tables,  and  the  waiter  who  was  at 
her  elbow  for  orders  got  no  intelligible  answer,  but 
she  shook  her  head  and  ran  upstairs. 

There  she  was  able  to  be  alone  with  her  letter. 
Rupert,  having  business  to  attend  to,  had  breakfasted 
earlier  and  left  the  hotel. 

Mrs  Toland  had  written  very  little  of  their  return 
to  the  farmhouse  on  the  night  Mabel  left,  but  there 
was  enough  to  let  her  know  there  had  been  a  scene — 
that  her  father  had  been  bitterly  incensed,  and  was 
only  gradually  becoming  reconciled  to  her  absence. 
Then  came  thanks  for  the  cheque,  which  Mabel  was 
to  convey  also  to  Rupert,  and  she  cried  to  herself  as 
she  read.  She  felt  in  a  way  ashamed,  and  yet  happy, 
at  receiving  thanks  of  such  a  kind  from  her  parents, 
or  rather  from  her  mother,  who  wrote  on  behalf  of 
both.  She  was  at  the  Scotts'.  There  she  had  got 
Mabel's  letter  and  immediately  written  the  reply; 
for  Toland,  who  was  in  Tongalong  trying  to  get  rid 
of  some  unmortgaged  stock,  would  not  return  till  the 
following  day,  and  for  another  week  there  would  be 
no  mail  from  Mallock's  post-office.  However,  Mabel's 
idea  of  going  for  a  voyage  to  England  with  Rupert 
was  approved  of,  and  even  urged  by  Mrs  Toland. 
She  would  dearly  like  to  see  her  daughter  again 
before  she  sailed,  but  though  she  could  not  bear  to 
say  so,  she  believed  it  would  be  wiser  not  to  wait. 
Her  father's  affection  needed  only  time  to  cure  his 
displeasure.  Her  absence  would  in  itself  be  a  help, 
and  Mrs  Toland  trusted  that  at  the  end  of  the  year 
Rupert  and  Mabel  would  find  a  happy,  loving  welcome 
from  her  parents  in  the  old  home. 

Gentle  chiding,forgiveness,advice,  affectionate,  good 
wishes,  Mabel  read  again  and  again  with  a  full  heart, 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  321 

till  she  knew  almost  every  line  of  the  long  letter.  It 
left  her  with  only  a  slight  sad  strain  running  through 
her  triumphant  happiness,  that  by  a  bold  stroke  her 
husband  and  she  had  been  able  to  save  the  dear  old 
people,  in  spite  of  themselves,  from  heart-breaking 
ruin.  With  that  to  think  upon,  and  preparations  for 
leaving  Melbourne  for  England  by  the  next  mail 
steamer,  breakfast  had  little  chance  in  her  thoughts, 
and,  with  a  bright  glow  on  her  cheeks,  she  was  still 
writing  to  her  mother  when  Rupert  returned. 

On  the  following  evening  Mrs  Toland  and  her 
husband  were  seated  together  by  the  fire  in  the  house 
that  only  for  a  few  days  more  should  be  their  home. 

At  least  so  thought  Toland.  As  the  time  came 
near  he  found  it  very  hard  to  bear,  but  the  experiences 
of  a  week  before  had  a  lasting  effect,  and  at  the 
worst,  moody  silence  replaced  the  fierce  outbreaks 
which  he  controlled  with  increasingly  painful  effort 
for  his  wife's  sake.  She  knitted  tranquilly,  pausing 
sometimes  as  if  about  to  speak,  and  then  checking 
herself  with  a  smile  to  wait  a  favourable  opportunity. 
It  came  at  length,  when  Toland  took  his  pipe  out  of 
his  mouth  and  studied  her  for  some  time  in  silent 
wonder. 

'  I  can't  understand  you,  Ruth,'  he  said  presently. 
'  You  don't  look  like  a  woman  who  has  been  brought 
to  beggary  by  her  husband  and  will  be  turned  out  of 
her  home  three  days  hence.' 

1  What  if  I  am  not  that  woman  in  any  particular  ?  ' 
she  asked,  still  smiling. 

'  I  am  in  no  mood  for  riddles,  dear,'  he  answered, 
with  a  tired,  questioning  look. 

'  Then  here  is  the  answer.' 

She  took  Mabel's  letter  from  her  pocket,  and  hand- 
x 


3  2  2  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  U 

ing  it  to  him,  put  down  her  work  and  watched  every 
movement  of  his  countenance.  He  glanced  first  at 
the  enclosure,  his  thick  eyebrows  contracted  and  his 
lips  set  close.  Then  he  perused  the  letter  slowly 
and  carefully,  and  when  he  had  finished  stared  im- 
passively into  the  fire  without  comment  or  a  glance 
at  Ruth. 

'  Well  ? '  she  asked,  resting  her  hand  on  his  knee. 

Toland  seemed  to  start  from  a  reverie.  'That 
letter  is  well  meant/  he  said  coldly.  '  I  believe 
Mabel  really  is  fond  of  us  in  spite  of  what  she's 
done  —  maybe  even  she  persuaded  herself  that  she 
was  doing  right ;  and  young  Harlin  seems  to  have 
some  generous  impulses.  But — '  he  sighed  heavily 
after  a  pause,  'it  makes  no  difference,  Ruth.' 

'  Why  no  difference  ?  Why  can't  we  pay  off  that 
mirerable  mortgage  and  be  free  ? ' 

'  This  is  why.1  Toland's  teeth  were  clenched.  He 
did  not  meet  Ruth's  questioning  eyes,  and  she  had 
not  grasped  his  intention  till  he  had  taken  the 
cheque  in  his  fingers  and  torn  it  into  fragments, 
which  he  tossed  upon  the  burning  logs. 

She  watched  them  go.  She  let  her  knitting  drop 
on  the  floor ;  then  leaning  forward,  with  her  head 
buried  in  her  hands,  she  fought  against  this  great 
bitterness  and  struggled  not  to  cry  aloud. 

'  Oh,  John !  You  don't  know  what  you've  done,' 
she  said  at  last.  A  piteous  note  of  despair  in  the 
almost  whispered  words  roused  Toland  and  brought 
him  to  his  feet. 

'  I  do,  Ruth,'  he  cried.  '  I  have  put  self-respect 
above  ease.  I  have  refused  to  accept  our  home  as 
the  charity  of  people  I  have  hated.  The  signature 
to  that  cheque  was  Mabel's,  but  you  know  as  well 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  323 

as  I  do  that  the  money  was  Harlin's.  I  have  refused 
to  sell  him  forgiveness  for  his  theft  of  my  flesh  and 
blood ! ' 

Ruth  had  risen  too  and  stood  listening  with  an 
expression  of  utter  weariness,  almost  scornful. 

'  You  have  sacrificed  your  daughter's  happiness  to 
pride/  she  answered  slowly.  'You  have  lost  the 
opportunity  for  the  noblest  action  of  your  life.  You 
have  made  us  homeless  indeed,  and — you  have  dis- 
appointed me ! ' 

She  could  say  no  more.  It  was  too  hard  to  bear. 
Her  head  shook  backwards  and  forwards ;  her  lips 
moved  without  uttering  a  sound  ;  and  only  when 
Toland,  thoroughly  alarmed  and  cut  to  the  heart  by 
her  words,  came  nearer,  did  she  find  voice  again. 

A  gesture  of  her  hands  kept  him  standing  away 
from  her,  abashed.  '  No ;  don't  touch  me  now,'  she 
faltered,  with  a  smile.  '  I'm  sorry  if  I  was  cruel,  dear, 
but  I'm  upset.  I  will  go  to  bed.' 

Toland  watched  her  leave  the  room  without  a  word. 
There  was  absolutely  nothing  to  say.  For  the  first 
time  in  their  lives  there  had  come  a  deep  irreconcil- 
able difference  where  no  compromise  was  possible, 
and  only  the  utter  abandonment  of  the  position  on 
one  side  or  the  other  could  ever  bring  them  together 
again  as  they  had  been  through  all  the  years  that 
ended  five  minutes  ago. 

She  would  not  yield.  He  had  seen  it  in  her  eyes 
and  felt  it  in  her  tone,  and  all  without  finding  a  word 
of  protest  or  defence.  Then  could  he?  Or  must 
this  barrier,  worse  than  a  dozen  evictions,  remain 
between  them,  darkening  all  the  brightness  that  was 
left  in  life?  He  almost  regretted  that  his  maniac 
violence  had  gone.  Where  his  wife  was  concerned, 


324  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

at  least,  there  was  no  longer  even  refuge  from 
thought  in  the  fierce  intoxication  of  despair.  He 
was  just  utterly  unhappy,  while  love  and  every  other 
impulse  fought  against  his  pride,  and  he  felt  that  all 
that  made  life  worth  living  would  be  destroyed  by 
the  victory  of  either.  Estrangement  from  Ruth  and 
homelessness  as  fruits  of  the  defeat  of  love  by  pride — 
loss  of  the  independence,  treasured  even  above  the 
home  which  was  almost  part  of  himself,  as  the  fruits 
of  its  victory. 

Leaning  forward  in  the  chimney  with  his  head  in 
his  hands,  he  sat  till  the  fire  was  out,  and  still  the 
fight  went  on.  There  had  long  been  silence  in  the 
next  room  when  it  was  broken,  and  through  the  thin 
partition  Toland  heard  restless  tossing  on  a  pillow, 
and  then  a  heart-broken  sob.  Suddenly  the  fight  was 
ended  and  Toland  stood  up  with  his  brain  reeling. 

'  Ruth  ! '  he  cried. 

'  What  is  it  ? ' 

'  I — I  will  write  to  Mabel  and  ask  her  for  another 
cheque.'  He  had  forced  the  words  out  in  spite  of 
devils  striving  to  hold  him  tongue-tied,  and  he  waited 
for  the  guerdon  of  his  victory. 

The  answer  came  with  a  pent-up  torrent  of  tears. 
'  It  is  too  late.  She  will  be  on  the  seas  on  her  way 
to  England.' 

All  that  her  words  meant  was  at  first  incomprehen- 
sible, and  he  could  not  go  to  Ruth  till  he  had  thought 
it  out.  He  had  conquered  his  pride — he  had  kept 
Ruth — kept  his  independence,  too,  in  spite  of  his 
willingness  to  surrender  it — and  he  had  lost  his  farm. 
Above  everything  stood  out  the  fact  that  fate  had 
refused  to  make  him  Harlin's  pensioner. 

It  was  hard  to  regret  that  repentance  had  been 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  325 

tardy,  and  not  till  it  came  vividly  before  him  that, 
with  the  home  which  belonged  to  both  of  them,  his 
tardiness  had  sacrificed  Ruth's  dearest  hopes,  was  he 
able  to  go  to  her  bedside  and  on  his  knees  beg  for- 
giveness. 

Ruth  granted  it  before  it  was  asked. 

With  her  husband's  repentance  new  hope  sprang 
up  in  her  brave  contriving  mind.  It  kept  her  wake- 
ful far  into  the  night,  and  with  the  bright  frosty 
morning  it  gained  strength.  It  was  not  to  be  thought 
of  that  they  should  tamely  submit  to  ruin  when 
salvation  had  been  driven  from  their  doors  by  a  mere 
accident  and  was  surely  still  within  their  reach. 

Might  she  drive  the  buggy  to  Kumbarra?  she 
asked.  She  would  return  to  the  Scotts  in  the  even- 
ing, and  he  could  understand  that  there  were  many 
things  which  she  wanted  to  discuss  with  Mrs  Harlin. 

Toland  gave  his  permission  with  unusual  readi- 
ness, for  he  was  anxious  to  do  all  in  his  power  to 
make  amends,  and  early  after  breakfast  he  drove 
with  her  to  the  gate.  Ruth  urged  the  old  horses  in 
a  way  that  astonished  them  from  her,  and  wasted  no 
time  on  her  arrival  in  telling  her  troubles  to  Mrs 
Harlin.  She  showed  her  Mabel's  letter  and  told 
her  of  the  fate  of  the  cheque  and  of  her  husband's 
subsequent  sorrow  for  what  he  had  done. 

Mrs  Harlin  waxed  wrathful  and  sarcastic,  but 
Ruth's  pale  face  and  quivering  lips  checked  her  even 
more  than  her  remonstrances  ;  and  she  listened  with 
futile  longing  for  power  to  grant  the  request  when 
her  friend  asked  for  the  loan  of  another  thousand 
pounds  which  Mabel  would  repay. 

With  a  lump  rising  in  her  throat  Mrs  Harlin 
shook  her  head  '  If  I  had  it,  Ruth,  dear,  nothing 


326  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

would  give  me  so  much  delight,  but  every  penny  I 
could  lay  hands  on  has  gone  to  Rupert,  for  otherwise 
he  must  have  asked  for  his  own  money  and  em- 
barrassed his  father.' 

Ruth's  face  fell  with  this  last  grand  castle  in  the 
air,  and  she  sat  in  hopeless  silence,  trying  to  be 
brave.  Mrs  Harlin  sought  vainly  for  words  of  com- 
fort, but  none  came.  At  last  she  rose  impatiently 
with  knitted  eyebrows.  'Oh,  something  must  be 
done ! '  she  exclaimed.  'It  is  too  wicked !  too 
absurd  ! '  She  looked  doubtfully  at  Ruth.  '  I  might 
be  able  to  get  the  money  from  my  husband.' 

'  No,  no !  not  that ! '  she  cried  nervously.  '  John 
would  be  too  angry,  and  I  feel  no  good  would  come 
of  it' 

'  It  would  be  just  a  temporary  loan.' 

Ruth  rose  wearily  and  held  out  her  hand.  '  No, 
Margaret.  Don't  talk  about  it  any  more.  You  have 
been  very  kind  and  I  am  glad  I  came  to  you,  but 
I  don't  think  I  will  stay  longer  now.  Good-bye.' 

Mrs  Harlin  kissed  her,  smiling  enigmatically. 

'  You  must  not  go  yet,'  she  said ;  '  we  have  a  great 
deal  else  to  talk  about,  and  don't  be  downhearted, 
dear,  something  shall  be  done.' 

'  Not  what  you  said.' 

Mrs  Harlin  laughed  at  the  new  anxiety  in  Ruth's 
face.  '  I  believe  you  are  as  prejudiced  as  your  hus- 
band,' she  said  kindly.  'But  trust  me,  mine  will 
not  be  asked  to  pay  the  mortgage  or  provide  any 
money  for  a  loan  to  you  or  Mr  Toland.  And  all 
the  same,  I  feel  confident  that  you  will  not  lose  that 
farm.  Do  you  trust  me  ? ' 

'  I  can't  help  doing  so,'  she  answered  gratefully, 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  327 

puzzled  by  the  pleased  mystery  in  Mrs  Harlin's  face, 
and  yet  rendered  hopeful  by  it. 

'  That  is  right,'  said  Mrs  Harlin,  gaily.  '  Ask  no 
questions,  but  when  you  go  to  sleep  to-night,  dream 
of  happier  times.  Now  try  not  to  think  of  those 
things  for  a  little,  but  let  me  show  you  a  letter  from 
Rupert.  He  is  very  much  in  love.' 

Nothing  more  was  said  of  the  mortaged  farm.  It 
was  the  first  time  the  women  had  met  since  Rupert's 
and  Mabel's  love  affair  developed,  and  they  spent  a 
long  afternoon  together  talking  of  the  young  people, 
Ruth  almost  forgetting  her  own  troubles  in  picturing 
their  delight  in  each  other  and  in  life. 

She  drove  away  much  more  cheerful  than  she 
came.  She  had  never  known  Margaret  break  a 
promise;  and,  utterly  unable  as  she  was  to  guess 
how  or  whence  help  was  to  come,  the  words, '  Trust 
me ;  you  will  not  lose  that  farm,'  kept  ringing  in  her 
ears,  and  she  believed  them. 


CHAPTER    XI 

THE  morning  of  the  sale  had  arrived  at  last,  and 
Toland  rose  early  from  the  kitchen  floor,  where  he 
had  passed  the  night  rolled  in  his  blankets.  No 
persuasion  could  induce  him  to  stay  at  Scott's,  though 
his  brother-in-law  pressed  him  to  make  the  farm 
down  the  river  his  head-quarters  until  he  could  find 
a  job.  He  had  even,  with  tactless  well-meaning, 
thrown  out  hints  about  himself  giving  Toland 
employment  if  he  could  find  an  excuse  for  sacking 
a  man  who  was  doing  a  bit  of  clearing  for  him — as 
he  pointedly  mentioned — very  cheap. 

Sympathy,  especially  Scott's  sympathy,  was  more 
than  Toland  could  bear,  but  he  was  not  sorry  that 
Ruth  should  be  with  Bess,  and  after  the  sale  was 
over  he  scarcely  knew  what  he  himself  should  do. 

As  the  sun  was  rising  he  tramped  from  one  to 
another  of  the  empty  echoing  rooms,  stripped  of  their 
furniture  which  lay  piled  in  lots  for  the  sale,  while 
some  of  the  more  precious  personal  belongings  of 
little  monetary  worth  had  been  carted  away  to 
Scott's  to  meet  there  some  future  fate. 

Only  the  previous  afternoon  had  he  and  Ruth  paid 
a  last  visit  to  spots  enshrined  by  a  sad  or  tender 
recollection  in  their  memories,  and  bade  a  farewell 
together  to  the  old  home.  Then  Toland  had  driven 
his  wife  to  Scott's  and  read  with  her  Mabel's  happy 

328 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  329 

letter,  written  just  before  she  sailed,  returning  in  the 
evening  to  spend  the  last  few  hours  on  the  spot  of 
earth  that  was  almost  his  handiwork,  and  face  the 
music  on  the  morrow  like  a  man. 

Ruth  had  bid  him  good-bye  with  brave,  loving 
words.  She  had  even  managed  to  smile  through 
her  tears,  and,  standing  at  the  gate  watching  him 
drive  off,  had  once  made  as  though  to  call  him  back. 
He  pulled  up,  she  hesitated,  made  a  step  towards 
him  and  stopped  again.  No  word  had  come  from 
Mrs  Harlin  and  things  seemed  hopeless  indeed. 
She  could  not  comfort  him  with  her  shred  of  hope 
in  her  friend's  promise,  but  for  her  the  age  of  miracles 
was  not  past,  and  hope  was  living  still. 

'  It  is  nothing,  John,'  she  called  softly.  '  I — I  only 
wanted  to  tell  you  that  I  have  a  presentiment — a 
certainty  almost — that  you  will  be  happier  this  time 
to-morrow  than  you  are  to-day.' 

'  Bless  your  superstitions !  Go  on  believing  in 
them — and  in  me  while  you  can,'  he  muttered ;  but 
she  only  saw  him  smile  and  wave  his  hand,  and  went 
back  to  the  house  impatient  for  their  next  happy 
meeting. 

Now  Toland  wondered  why  he  had  come.  It 
seemed  impossible  that  he  should  be  driven  out  of 
his  home  like  a  dog.  He  felt  madly  inclined  to 
stand  in  the  doorway  with  his  gun  to  shoot  down 
anyone  who  dared  approach,  and  then  in  hand-to- 
hand  fight  hold  the  place  against  rogues  and  lawyers 
till  he  was  overpowered  by  weight  of  numbers.  Or 
he  would  put  a  match  to  the  walls  and  watch  the 
new  house  burn  like  the  old  one  from  the  scrub 
thickets  by  the  creek. 

Other   lunatic    fancies    came    crowding   while   he 


330  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESA  V 

pursued  his  aimless,  mechanical  round,  and  he 
laughed  bitterly  as  with  an  effort  of  resolution  he 
cast  them  aside — only  for  Ruth's  sake  he  told  him- 
self. Were  it  not  for  Ruth  he  would  embrace  the 
jolly  temptations  of  insanity  and  make  the  sale  day 
of  Grimsby  Farm  one  long  remembered  in  the 
neighbourhood. 

Going  back  to  the  kitchen  he  rolled  up  his 
blankets.  With  the  billy  beside  them  they  seemed 
emblematic  of  his  future  life  as  a  tramp  and  an 
outcast.  He  wanted  no  breakfast.  If  he  were 
hungry  later  on,  would  there  not  be  the  sale  luncheon 
with  whisky  flowing,  and  no  doubt  he  would  be 
allowed  a  share. 

He  lit  his  pipe  and  looked  over  the  hill,  starting 
at  every  sound  that  his  ear  deceived  him  into  think- 
ing was  the  rattle  of  buggy  wheels.  It  was  early 
yet,  but  an  hour  or  two  hence  all  the  vehicles  in  the 
district  would  be  driving  through  his  open  gates, 
their  inmates  holding  high  holiday,  coming  with  jests 
and  laughter  to  tramp  about  his  house,  moralise  on 
his  downfall,  and  burst  into  loud  guffaws  at  the 
auctioneer's  witticisms  on  his  poor  little  household 
gods.  No — he  could  not  bear  it.  It  might  be 
necessary  to  see  the  salesman  on  some  matters  of 
business,  but  he  could  creep  back  in  time  for  that 
when  the  desecration  of  his  lares  and  penates  was 
over  and  all  the  careless  crowd  had  gone.  If  he 
stayed  to  witness  it  he  should  make  a  fool  of  him- 
self, or  worse. 

Then  a  new  idea  came  to  him.  It  was  so  deliciously 
absurd  that  he  laughed  long  and  loudly  as  it  crossed 
his  brain.  But  it  was  a  good  one  and  he  determined 
to  act  on  it.  Joe  was  doing  well  in  West  Australia 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  331 

and  might  get  him  a  job.  If  the  daughter  could  give 
him  a  thousand  pounds  for  nothing,  surely  the  son 
might  put  his  old  dad  into  some  work  about  the 
mine  that  would  bring  him  in  a  pound  or  thirty  bob 
a  week.  Anyhow,  if  he  were  going  to  tramp  the 
roads,  he  would  rather  do  it  as  far  as  possible  from 
scenes  and  faces  he  knew.  There  and  then  he  found 
ink  and  paper  and  scribbled  some  grimly  humorous 
lines  to  Joe,  stating  clearly  enough,  however,  what 
it  was  he  sought.  If  he  posted  the  letter  at  the  town- 
ship post-office  that  morning  it  would  go  at  once 
and  a  whole  week  would  be  saved,  and  he  would  be 
away  from  the  farm  when  a  tap  of  the  auctioneer's 
hammer  broke  to  fragments  the  materialised  result 
of  his  enthusiastic  young  dreams. 

He  went  mechanically  to  catch  his  horse  in  the 
little  paddock,  when  he  suddenly  remembered  that 
it  was  no  longer  his.  Every  animal  was  on  the 
catalogue  for  sale  that  day,  and  a  ride  might  involve 
him  in  a  prosecution.  Anyhow,  he  preferred  to  walk. 
Then  he  could  hide  himself  in  the  scrub  by  the  road- 
side, and  avoid  the  eyes  and  the  sympathy  of  neigh- 
bours gathering  for  the  sale.  With  a  nervous  dread 
of  being  discovered  in  the  open,  he  left  the  house 
deserted,  and  striding  across  his  cleared  paddocks 
where  the  early  crops  gave  ironic  promise  of  bounte- 
ousness,  he  was  soon  travelling  at  a  swinging  pace 
down  the  scrub-bordered  road  to  Kumbarra. 

It  was  not  long  after  his  departure  that  the 
auctioneer  and  his  clerk  arrived  in  a  smart  Abbot 
buggy,  behind  a  fast-trotting  chestnut,  first  upon  the 
scene.  Calling  brought  no  one  to  his  assistance. 
The  brown  gloves,  worn  presumably  to  protect  his 
hands  from  the  stain  of  professional  dirty  work  only, 


332  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

were  slipped  off  with  a  curse  on  people  generally  for 
not  coming  out  to  take  his  horse,  the  just-lighted 
cigar  was  laid  aside,  and  Mr  Salaman  helped  his 
clerk  to  unharness,  sulky  because  his  small  vanity 
had  not  been  gratified  in  impressing  a  single  soul 
by  his  arrival.  But  the  first  comers  were  not  far 
behind  the  auctioneer,  and  soon,  in  buggies,  spring 
carts,  and  on  horseback,  the  visitors  arrived  by 
dozens.  There  were  drays  too,  brought  by  far- 
seeing  ones,  who  meant  to  buy  pigs,  harness  or 
the  like,  and  taking  delivery  on  the  spot  to  combine 
business  with  pleasure  and  avoid  the  loss  of  another 
day. 

The  sun  shone  bright  and  genial.  The  wattle  on  the 
creek  bank  just  bursting  into  bloom,  the  cheerful  whistle 
of  the  magpies,  and  a  mystified  chattering  from  all  the 
birds  of  the  air,  each  had  their  part  in  lightening  hearts 
and  loosening  tongues,  to  an  extent  of  which  the  most 
exigeant  pleasure-seekers  at  the  sale  could  not  com- 
plain. Everything  was  as  it  should  be,  and  jollity, 
irresponsibility,  brutality  reigned  supreme.  Toland's 
little  garden  was  soon  a  flowerless  wilderness  of  heavy 
foot-prints  strewn  with  broken  plants ;  Ruth's  spot- 
less floors  a  sea  of  saliva,  with  here  and  there  an 
island  not  entirely  submerged.  The  crowd  elbowed 
one  another  through  the  rooms  and  passages.  Young 
women  blushed  and  old  women  laughed  at  coarse 
jokes  bandied  carelessly  in  their  hearing.  Females 
fingered  the  house  linen  with  muttering  and  shaking 
of  heads  over  darns  and  iron  mould.  The  elderly 
of  both  sexes  leaned  lovingly  by  the  pigstyes,  chaff- 
ing and  betting  about  the  weights,  and  mentally 
turning  pounds  of  live  pig  into  bacon  at  so  much 
per  pound.  There  was  a  mighty  din  in  the  poultry- 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  333 

yard,  where  a  hot,  plum-coloured  woman  with  a  green 
umbrella  pursued  fowls  to  test  their  age  and  fatness, 
with  an  admiring  crowd  of  onlookers  adding  their 
cackling  to  that  of  the  hens.  Little  groups  of  men 
told  one  another  what  was  wrong  with  Toland's 
plough,  and  knowing  ones  with  many  winks  and 
grunts  divulged  the  true  age  of  his  horses — con- 
tradicted now  and  then  by  a  man  who  remembered 
such  and  such  an  animal's  foaling.  A  large  woman 
shaped  like  a  cottage  loaf,  threatening  to  rise  and 
burst  the  black  watered  silk,  made  frequent  captures 
of  a  small  toothless  husband  who  had  got  at  a  whisky 
bottle  that  morning  just  after  she  had  made  him 
passably  clean ;  and  now  and  then  wrenching  his 
coat  collar  free  of  the  detaining  hand  of  his  breath- 
less, red -faced  spouse,  he  dived  into  brief  liberty 
among  the  legs  of  the  delighted  crowd. 

Scott  and  Jimmy  Scott  were  early  at  the  farm,  to 
represent  Toland,  on  whose  account  some  goods  were 
going  under  the  hammer,  in  addition  to  the  land  and 
stock,  both  sold  by  order  of  the  mortgagee. 

There  was  not  much  demanded  of  Scott  but  he  did 
the  little  that  he  could  in  Toland's  interest,  giving 
information  where  he  thought  it  would  lead  to  better 
sales,  withholding  it  where  the  effect  would  be  con- 
trary; and  now  and  then  ordering  the  too  roughly 
curious  to  keep  their  paws  off  the  household  goods 
which  they  pulled  about  and  soiled.  He  was  not 
imaginative  or  sentimental,  but  he  felt  an  undefined 

o 

sympathetic  anger  with  all  the  laughing  throng,  and 
surprised  his  friends  by  snappy  answers  to  their 
greetings.  Now  and  then  a  flash  of  what  it  would 
be  to  have  such  visitors  on  his  farm  crossed  his  mind, 
and  he  understood  Toland  better  than  he  had  done 


334 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 


since  the  long  ago  days  when  they  were  one  in  hope 
and  indignation  by  the  camp  fire  at  Kumbarra. 

Once  Conyngham  touched  his  arm  in  the  crowd. 
The  schoolmaster  had  insisted  that  he  would  not 
bother  the  Scotts  while  the  Tolands  were  with  them 
and  had  found  temporary  lodgings  at  another  farm. 
He  had  seen  neither  husband  nor  wife  since  the  even- 
ing Mabel  left,  and  did  not  wish  to  do  so  yet. 
Probably  they  would  soon  bid  good-bye  to  each 
other  and  the  valley  for  ever,  but  he  could  not  pass 
Toland  without  a  word  if  he  should  meet  him  now. 

There  was  less  indulgence  than  usual  in  his 
habitual  half  sneer  for  mankind  in  general  and 
himself  in  particular  to-day. 

'  Good  morning,  Scott,'  he  said.  '  Have  you  seen 
anything  of  Toland  ? ' 

'  No.  I  scarcely  reckoned  he'd  be  here,  though  he 
said  something  about  seeing  it  through.  I'm  attend- 
ing to  his  business  for  him.' 

'  Well,  he's  better  away.  He  would  scarcely  find  it 
so  amusing  as  you  or  I  do.' 

'Amusing?'  Scott  stared  at  Conyngham,  dimly 
suspicious  of  sarcasm.  '  I'd  like  to  wring  half  a 

dozen  of  their  b necks  for  'em — especially  the 

women's  and  the  auctioneer's  ! ' 

Conyngham  laughed.  '  Do,  like  a  good  fellow,'  he 
said.  '  I  see  your  brother-in-law's  business  is  safe 
with  you.  I  can't  stand  any  more  of  this,  so  I'm 
off.  Good-bye.' 

He  sauntered  away  towards  the  long  row  of  horses 
tethered  to  the  nearest  fence,  and  Scott  sulkily  obeyed 
the  auctioneer's  beckoning  to  join  him  among  a  knot 
of  loud-laughed  toadies. 

It   was   twelve   o'clock.      The  sale  had  been  ad- 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  335 

vertised  for  eleven,  and  Mr  Salaman  was  anxious 
to  begin.  Scott,  he  understood,  represented  the 
vendor.  Scott  said  he  did,  and  a  move  was  made 
to  the  big  kitchen  to  put  up  furniture,  house  linen 
and  crockery.  The  land  itself  and  the  stock  were 
to  follow  in  the  afternoon,  when  food  and  alcohol 
had  roused  combativeness  and  loosened  purse-strings. 

Mallock  had  no  fear  that  the  upset  price  of  the  farm 
would  be  reached,  and  he  trusted  his  beer  and  whisky 
to  put  ten  times  the  value  of  the  stuff  consumed  on  to 
the  price  of  horses  and  cattle,  which  secured  other  of 
Toland's  debts  that  he  held. 

The  disposal  of  Toland's  effects  did  not  take  long. 
The  property  collected  bit  by  bit  in  the  course  of 
years,  talked  over  and  saved  for,  almost  articulate 
with  associations,  went  in  a  few  minutes  to  a  run- 
ning accompaniment  of  auctioneer's  facetite  in  an 
atmosphere  of  stale  tobacco,  moleskins,  dress  stuffs 
and  humanity,  with  scarcely  a  soul  in  the  room  but 
Scott  even  dimly  remembering  that  the  farce  they 
shrieked  or  chuckled  over  was  really  a  poor  little 
tragedy. 

Then  came  the  luncheon  on  trestle  tables  outside 
the  house ;  and  after  it,  raised  voices,  more  daring 
profanity  and  doubtful  jokes,  a  decrease  of  elderly 
feminine  squeamishness  to  vanishing  point,  and  an 
alcoholic  exhalation  from  every  knot  of  men,  gave 
promise  to  Salaman's  experience  of  brisk  bidding 
for  the  horses  and  cattle. 

First,  as  a  matter  of  form,  he  had  to  offer  the  land 
for  sale,  which  he  prepared  to  do,  feeling  some 
wonder  and  a  little  disappointment  that  Mallock 
was  not  present — not  on  Mallock's  account,  but  on 
his  own,  since  he  could  not  curry  favour  by  con- 


336  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

gratulations  as  he  practically  presented  the  mortgagee 
with  the  unsold  farm. 

The  bell  rang  once  more,  and  mounting  a  chair  in 
the  crowded  sitting-room,  Salaman  gabbled  through 
the  conditions  of  sale — Terms,  a  third  cash,  the 
balance  payable  by  promissory  notes  at  six  and 
twelve  months  respectively.  The  property  to  be 
passed  in  if  the  reserve  of  £1070,  covering  money 
lent,  interest  due,  and  expenses  incurred  by  the 
mortgagee,  should  not  be  reached. 

The  onlookers  listened  silently,  scarcely  under- 
standing the  legal  jargon,  which  indeed  was  rattled 
through  at  an  unintelligible  pace;  but  the  great 
central  fact  that  the  home  one  man  had  created  was 
being  offered  by  another  man  for  sale  touched  them 
to  the  quick,  and  there  rippled  through  the  room  a 
little  wave  of  sympathy  for  Toland.  The  force  of 
the  abstract  words,  '  Right,  title  and  interest,' 
reached  their  hearts,  which  were  unresponsive  to  the 
more  delicate  pathos  of  the  lovingly-mended  lace 
curtains  and  the  two  well-worn,  old  easy-chairs — 
'  one  for  the  big  bear,  one  for  the  middle-sized  bear.' 
They  could  laugh  at  the  auctioneer's  poor  wit,  applaud 
his  affected  astonishment  that  the  little  bear  Tolands 
had  not  any ;  but  there  was  no  laughter  now  that 
another  farmer  was  going  and  the  hated  Mallock 
once  again  laying  field  to  field. 

'  Who'll  give  me  a  bid  for  it  ?  It  goes  at  one 
thousand  and  seventy — as  tidy  a  little  farm  as  you'll 
find  on  the  river,  with  twenty  years  of  a  good 
farmer's  work  and  sweat  in  it — worth  more  than 
twice  the  money.  Come  on,  you  moneyed  squires 
and  Croesuses ! ' 

His   ivory  toy  poised   in   the   air,  the   auctioneer 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  337 

paused  and  curled  his  moustache  with  one  hand, 
looking  patronisingly  down  on  the  upturned  rough 
faces,  knowing  not  one  of  his  tantalised  hearers  to  be 
good  for  fifty  pounds  cash  if  it  were  to  purchase  a 
proved  gold  mine. 

4  No  offers?  You  astonish  me.  Where's  all  the 
money  gone? '  he  resumed  tauntingly.  '  Only  a  third 
cash — only  ten  hundred  and  seventy !  At  less  money 
she's  passed  in.  Is  there  any  offer? ' 

The  hammer  was  already  descending,  and  he  was 
nodding  to  his  clerk,  when  a  man  near  the  door  held 
up  his  hand  and  everyone  turned  to  look  at  him  in 
wonder. 

'  You  might  have  been  a  bit  smarter,  my  man,' 
called  Salaman,  acidly;  '  but  I'll  take  your  bid  if  you 
look  alive  with  it. ' 

'  Eleven  hundred  pounds.  Wasn't  that  good 
enough  to  wait  for? '  answered  the  stranger,  calmly. 

There  was  a  loud  hum  of  astonished  applause,  and 
the  auctioneer  had  to  raise  his  voice. 

'  Name,  please? ' 

'  Mrs  Rupert  Harlin. ' 

Salaman  beckoned  impatiently  to  the  stranger  to 
come  forward,  and  he  elbowed  his  way  through  the 
gaping  onlookers,  ostentatiously  pulling  out  a  roll  of 
notes  as  he  did  so. 

Scott  recognised  the  purchaser  then  as  an  old 
servant  of  the  Harlins  whom  he  had  seen  on  the 
station  years  ago.  Ruth's  faith  was  justified  at  last. 
Mrs.  Harlin  had  racked  her  brains  for  a  means  of 
saving  the  farm,  and  a  visit  to  her  Tongalong  bankers 
had  confirmed  the  hope  that  had  sprung  into  her 
mind  when  Ruth  was  with  her  at  Kumbarra.  To 
raise  the  mortgage  money  was  beyond  her  means, 

Y 


338  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

but  she  had  overdrawn  to  meet  the  deposit,  and  not 
a  penny  of  it  was  Harlin's. 

Scott  could  not  resist  having  a  slap  at  the  auc- 
tioneer. '  More  money  than  you  thought  after  all, 
Mr  Salaman, '  he  said.  '  Mr  Mallock  will  be  glad  to 
make  a  sale  of  it,  I  suppose — and  Mrs  Rupert's  a 
good  mark  too,  eh? ' 

4  Um !  Damn  his  theatrical  waste  of  time,  I  say. 
By  the  way,  where  the  hell  is  Mallock? ' 

Others  were  asking  the  same  question.  Scott 
wondered  were  Toland  was,  and  for  the  first  time 
wished  him  present;  but  soon  the  stock  sales  en- 
gaged his  attention  and  he  remained  till  the  close  of 
the  day  at  Grimsby  Farm,  getting  a  statement  of 
accounts  from  Salaman  and  expecting  Toland  at 
any  minute  to  return. 

However  he  put  in  no  appearance.  The  sun  was 
almost  down  when  Scott  and  his  son  passed  last  of 
all  through  the  gate  of  the  wrecked  and  deserted 
home,  in  haste  to  see  Ruth  and  gladden  her  ears 
with  the  great  news.  The  purchase  of  Grimsby  Farm 
was  the  absorbing  topic  of  talk  and  speculation  in 
the  home-going  buggies,  and  the  opinion  was  freely 
expressed  that  Mallock  must  have  got  wind  of  Mrs 
Rupert's  intention  and  stayed  away  to  conceal  his 
mortification.  Toland,  it  was  evident,  could  have 
known  nothing  or  he  would  not  have  absented  him- 
self and  missed  the  fun. 

Even  though  the  sale  was  over  Toland  was  not 
on  his  way  home.  Waiting  by  the  roadside  in  the 
morning,  he  had  seen  the  auctioner — the  undertaker 
of  his  dead  hopes — drive  past,  with  difficulty  sub- 
duing a  desire  to  spring  out  and  grip  the  horse's 
bridle. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  339 

Then  he  resumed  his  tramp,  thinking,  or  rather 
with  disordered  thoughts  rioting  uncontrolled  through 
his  brain. 

'  It  is  your  fault !  it  is  your  fault ! '  one  voice  kept 
singing.  '  If  you  had  trusted  your  daughter's  love  you 
would  be  at  home  to-day.' 

'  But  there  is  no  fault ! '  he  cried  almost  aloud.  '  I 
have  my  independence — I  am  not  a  pensioner.' 

'  Fine  independence  ! '  sneered  another  voice  in  his 
ear. 

He  stopped  and  started,  staring  all  around  him. 
Who  had  said  that  ?  Surely  there  were  voices.  He 
could  swear  he  heard  them.  They  contradicted  one 
another ;  and  one  laughed.  Perhaps  he  was  only 
thinking — but  he  could  not  think  so  loud,  nor  so 
many  things  at  once.  No,  there  were  voices  calling 
in  his  ears ;  and  he  laughed  too  as  he  listened  to 
them  and  trudged  on.  'You  loved  your  wife  and 
you  yielded  for  her  sake.  You  are  a  brave  man  and 
independent,'  sounded  one. 

'That's  true,'  thought  Toland,  complacently, 
throwing  up  his  head;  but  then  came  the  other 
voice  again. 

'Fine  independence!  You're  an  independent 
pauper — you're  an  independent  tramp — your  inde- 
pendence will  break  your  wife's  heart.  You're  an 
independent  madman — that's  what  you  are  ! ' 

Toland  stopped  dead,  with  fear-stricken  eyes,  and 
pressed  his  hand  to  his  forehead.  '  Ah,  God  !  no  ! 
not  that !  Not  that,  for  Ruth's  sake ! '  he  exclaimed 
aloud.  '  I'm  tired— it's  the  sun— my  head's  queer— 
I  must  rest  a  little.' 

The  sun  was  already  hot;  he  groped  his  way  to 
a  shady  bank  of  spring  grass  beneath  a  spreading 


340  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

peppermint,  and  flung  himself  down.  Two  or  three 
buggies  and  some  horsemen  went  past  while  he 
rested,  and  he  watched  them  stealthily,  with  the 
mocking  voices  silent  for  a  time.  He  remembered 
that  he  was  faint  from  want  of  food.  He  had  eaten 
little  on  the  previous  day — nothing  at  all  in  the 
evening — nothing  that  morning — and  constant 
smoking,  though  it  dulled  hunger,  could  not  repair 
the  nervous  waste. 

He  lit  his  pipe  again  and  fixed  his  thoughts  re- 
solutely on  the  future.  He  was  a  young  man  yet, 
with  twenty  years  work  in  him,  and  he  would  make 
a  start  in  the  arid  West,  where  there  was  only 
gold  and  sand — no  green  leaf  or  tree  tempting  men 
to  the  folly  of  making  homes.  The  letter  in  his 
pocket  was  the  passport  to  a  new  free  life  in  which 
he  could  take  his  master's  money  and  throw  up  a 
job  when  he  chose,  with  all  his  worldly  wealth  upon 
his  back.  Yes,  the  mercenary  in  the  battle  of  life 
was  the  only  free  man ;  and  the  independent  pioneers 
were  fool  slaves  of  the  soil.  Strange  that  in  his 
first  letter  from  the  valley,  he  should  have  boastfully 
asked  his  sister  to  come  and  share  his  bondage,  and 
that  in  his  last  he  should  be  humbly  begging  his  son 
to  set  him  free. 

The  buzz  of  insect  life,  the  chattering  of  birds, 
and  the  smell  of  the  spring  flowers  gradually  soothed 
him,  and  thinking  of  the  camp  by  the  creek  on  the 
night  he  wrote  to  Bess,  Toland  at  last  dropped  off 
from  sheer  weariness  to  sleep. 

Vehicle  after  vehicle  passed  him  by  unnoticed 
and  there  was  no  human  creature  near  when  he 
suddenly  awoke  and  looked  round  bewildered. 
Remembrance  came  all  too  quickly,  and  springing 


THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU  341 

to  his  feet  he  looked  cautiously  up  and  down  the 
road. 

Deep  wheel  ruts  in  the  drying  mud  showed  him 
that  the  holiday-makers  had  passed  in  numbers. 
The  sun  was  high  and  he  bethought  him  of  his 
letter.  If  he  did  not  hasten  it  would  not  be  posted 
in  time.  So  he  resumed  his  walk,  growing  more 
weary  at  every  step,  afraid  to  think  lest  thought 
should  run  away  with  him  and  the  dreaded  voices 
come  again. 

Pictures  of  the  farm  filled  with  people — of  Ruth 
crying,  or  perhaps  praying  all  alone — of  Mabel  in 
happy  ignorance,  possibly  writing  to  them  at  sea — 
such  would  spread  themselves  before  him,  but 
whenever  he  heard  the  buzzing  in  his  ears  and  felt 
the  madness  creeping  in,  he  clasped  his  hands  over 
them  and  talked  to  himself  of  his  letter.  '  I  must 
post  my  letter.  I  must  hurry  or  I  shall  be  late. 
It  must  go  to-day — it  must  go  to-day.'  In  a  dull, 
monotonous  voice  he  repeated  the  words  over  and 
over  as  a  charm. 

There  was  only  a  mile  or  two  left  to  cover.  He 
had  scarcely  taken  note  of  the  familiar  land-marks, 
but  he  was  trudging  up  hill  and  knew,  without 
raising  his  eyes,  that  he  was  on  Mallock's  gap.  A 
cutting  through  the  hill  summit  lay  ahead.  On  each 
side  of  him  were  the  steep  slopes  of  an  embankment, 
in  the  one  passable  opening  of  the  range  through 
which  the  Tonga  flowed  away  westward.  He  paused 
a  moment  and  looked  over  into  the  deep  gully  down 
which  water  trickled  through  the  culvert  at  the  em- 
bankment's base,  wearing  great  ruts  in  the  dray 
track  of  the  old  days,  now  lumbered  with  logs  and 
clothed  with  grass,  trees  and  budding,  bronze-tipped 


342  THE  WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

scrub.  Down  far  below  him  Mick  had  piloted  the 
way  when  he  drove  his  cart  first  to  Grimsby  Farm. 
Now  the  road'  hugged  one  slope  on  a  side  cutting 
till  the  gradient  became  too  steep,  when  it  crossed  by 
an  embankment  to  the  other.  It  was  a  steep  pinch 
still,  and  hundreds  of  times  had  he  traversed  the  gap, 
walking  his  straining  horses  up  the  hill  and  holding 
them  hard  on  the  down  grade  as  he  came  and  went 
from  the  post-office. 

This  was  the  last  time,  and  never  again  should  he 
rattle  his  buggy  down  it,  homewards,  with  screech- 
ing brakes  arid  the  horses'  shoes  ringing  on  the  gravel. 
Memories  roused  by  the  old  track  were  dangerous, 
and  leaving  the  causeway  behind  he  climbed  on  up 
the  red  hillside  road.  Soon  he  was  nearing  the 
highest  point.  In  another  half  minute  he  would  be 
in  the  cutting,  and  beyond  it,  only  a  mile  away,  lay 
the  post-office  on  the  gentle  fall  to  the  plain.  The 
sound  of  wheels  fell  on  his  ear,  and  stopping  still  he 
looked  up.  A  buggy  and  pair  were  coming  over 
the  hill  and  just  beginning  to  gather  way  on  the 
slope. 

In  a  moment  they  would  be  upon  him.  His  first 
impulse  was  to  hide  himself,  but  there  was  nowhere 
to  do  it.  He  heard  the  brake  grind  on  the  wheels, 
recognised  the  turnout,  and  with  his  brain  madly 
whirling  stood  rooted  in  the  middle  of  the  narrow 
road. 

It  was  Mallock's  buggy  with  Mallock  in  it  going 
to  the  sale.  Mallock  gathered  his  reins  tighter  and 
jammed  his  foot  harder  on  the  brake. 

'  Get  out  of  my  way,  you  scoundrel,  or  I'll  drive 
you  down  ! '  he  called. 

Toland  scarcely  heard  the  words.     With  no  thought 


THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU  343 

or  intention,  powerless  against  the  impulse  that  urged 
him,  he  clutched  at  the  off-side  horse's  rein.  Mai- 
lock's  whip  lash  whistled  through  the  air  and  curled 
round  Toland's  face  and  neck.  A  rough  laugh 
sounded  in  his  ears.  With  blood  dripping  down  his 
cheeks — with  every  drop  in  his  body  on  fire — he  re- 
leased the  horse's  bridle.  Mallock  called  to  his  horses 
and  drove  on ;  but  he  had  not  gone  ten  yards  before 
an  arm  was  thrown  round  his  neck,  hot,  fierce  breath 
was  on  his  cheek,  and  some  words,  inarticulate  with 
passion,  were  hissed  in  his  ear. 

Toland  had  sprung  into  the  buggy  from  behind  as 
it  passed  him  and  had  gained  absolute  happiness  at 
last,  for  all  the  devils  in  him  were  stiffening  his 
muscles  to  strangle  Mallock,  with  no  one  in  the  world 
to  interfere. 

Mallock  was  strong,  no  coward,  and  fond  of  life. 
Though  his  face  grew  blue  and  he  gasped  for  breath, 
hand  and  foot  kept  their  hold  on  reins  and  brake. 
With  his  right  arm  he  struck  out  blindly,  and  forcing 
his  chin  down,  buried  his  teeth  in  Toland's  wrist. 
His  throat  was  suddenly  freed,  but  he  was  caught 
again  by  the  shoulders  and  could  almost  hear  his 
spine  crack  as  he  was  bent  back  over  the  low  seat. 
The  reins  dropped,  and  a  look  of  grey  fear  came  into 
his  face  when  he  saw  Toland's  eyes  glaring  down  into 
his. 

The  horses  were  galloping  now.  The  swingle  bars 
rattled  on  their  legs,  the  collars  flopped  about  their 
ears  and  the  red  slope  flew  by. 

Toland  released  Mallock  for  an  instant  and  looked 
before  him,  laughing.  Danger  brought  Mallock's 
dazed  senses  back,  and  feeling  himself  free,  he  made 
a  frantic  effort  to  lean  forward  and  catch  the  long 


344  THE   WISDOM  OF  ESAU 

trailing  reins,  for  the  buckle  was  still  within  reach, 
caught  in  the  ironwork  of  the  dash-board.  But 
Toland  seized  him  again  and  forced  him  back  to 
his  seat  with  overpowering  strength,  and  Mallock's 
courage  gave  way. 

'Good  God,  man!  you'll  kill  us  both,'  he 
screamed.  Toland  hugged  him  a  little  closer  and 
laughed. 

The  brake  was  free.  Every  buggy  bolt  was  rat- 
tling. Sparks  were  flying  from  the  gravel,  and  the 
causeway  lay  across  their  path  only  a  hundred  yards 
ahead.  Toland' s  arms  crushed  the  life  out  of 
Mallock's  final  convulsive  struggle  for  freedom. 

'  I  will  give  you  back  your  farm, '  he  gasped. 
There  was  no  answer,  but  a  fierce  grip,  and  they 
were  at  the  embankment's  edge.  The  horses  bravely 
tried  the  sharp  curve;  but  the  buggy,  crashing  on 
their  quarters,  flung  them  forward,  and  on  the  old 
road,  fifty  feet  below,  locked  in  one  another's  arms, 
the  mortgager  and  mortgagee  of  Grimsby  Farm 
found  eternity  together. 


THE     END 


